


His Cinderella

by LadyKimmey



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Explicit Sexual Content, M/M, Oral Sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-16
Updated: 2017-10-13
Packaged: 2018-08-09 05:52:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 29,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7789168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyKimmey/pseuds/LadyKimmey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On a whim Hotch allows Jack to convince him to get his fortune read, only to be informed that the love of his life would soon find him but unless he opens his eyes, he will remain blind. After a single night of magic, his soul mate vanishes without a trace. Will he be able to find the one that got away?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. You Would Know?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DarkJediQueen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkJediQueen/gifts).



A/N: Yes, a fic, one for CM. Got the idea after watching a rather corny movie, so I'm going to put my own spin on it. Hope it gives some laughs, tears, and a few boners. Or whatever! Enjoy! Most things will be left canon and picks up not long after Morgan has been gone. 

 

Couple: Hotch x Reid

 

Warnings: Will be put on the chapters as needed.

 

Disclaimer: Don't own it or make any money from this work of fiction. 

 

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Chapter One

 

“Careful, Jack,” Aaron softly warned his son before the trio of boys ran towards the nearest game. It was rigged, he knew it was, and there was no way a child would be able to knock all three weighted cups down with just a single ball. The boys happily gave the man the required fee to test their might. “Thanks for tagging along.”

 

“No problem, but do you realize the amount of money people waste on these things each year?” Spencer cringed as Jack’s ball soared past the target to strike the back of the tent. The eleven year old was better with his feet it seemed and should probably stick to soccer. 

 

“That’s why I was glad that Jessica managed to talk him into going to a theme park last year.” Aaron laughed at the horrified expression. The money fronted for that trip had cost him thrice what tonight was taking from his wallet. Jack had enjoyed the trip and had learned a few things since his aunt had insisted that one day be spent at the museum. “I offered to take him camping.”

 

“You camp?” Spencer frowned as the carnie managed to swindle more cash from the three kids eager to prove themselves. He wouldn’t be the one to crush their hopes and give them the statistics of winning one of these games. 

 

“Been once or twice, you?” Being a dad Aaron waved to the dejected boys to come along and the stern look told Jack that he meant for them to move along. He wanted them to enjoy their night out but that wouldn’t happen if they blew all of their money trying to win one game. 

 

“I don’t like bugs,” Spencer remembered the one time he had gone for a walk when he was a child and he had gotten eaten up by mosquitos. He didn’t really care for these things either but he had jumped at the chance when Hotch had asked if he’d liked to tag along. His being here was only due to the fact that Beth had cancelled her plans on returning at the last moment. He wasn’t brave enough to ask what was going on between the two, it wasn’t any of his business. In his honest opinion the woman didn’t deserve to have either of the two males in her life. Jack needed someone that would be around because even someone that sucked with kids as horrible as he did could see that the boy was craving motherly affection. The disappointment that had been on Jack’s face when he had shown up instead of Beth had been a kick to the chest. Hotch’s son was still very fond of the brunette woman. “Are you going to Rossi’s ‘bash’?”

 

“Ha, yes, I don’t think I can get out of it.” Aaron wanted to fall into a fit of giggles seeing the genius mock Garcia by forming quotation marks in the air when bringing up the party. He had almost asked the hacker if she had snorted a bag of sugar when she had bounced up to him to insist he go to ‘The Bash of All Times’. 

 

If only he could as well, Spencer didn’t really want to attend but he would. Since Morgan had left the BAU the team tried to do more things together. Hotch was in the process of searching for two more to fill the team. As long as the blonde flirt that had been all touchy feely with him last week didn’t make it, he didn’t care. “Do you know what you’re dressing as?”

 

“Not yet,” he’d probably attend as a pirate or something simple. Aaron didn’t want to put too much thought into dressing up for Halloween. “You?”

 

“Myself?” Spencer didn’t want to buy a costume and he really wasn’t in the mood to party. It was next weekend and he figured he’d just wear a suit and go as a lawyer or something boring. 

 

“Garcia will skin you alive,” Hotch cocked his head to spot the boys standing in front of another booth. This one was for a chance to win fish. At least they no longer wanted to get on the many rides. Barry, the larger of the trio, had vomited promptly after stepping off a ride that spun too fast to be safe. 

 

“Not if I put a bag over my head,” Wasn’t Beth also invited? That meant their boss would be spending most of his time with the woman and not really mingling with the team. There was supposed to be a lot of people invited to the party, most he wouldn’t know. Spencer planned on eating, letting them know he was there, and then promptly go home to sulk. Everyone else was happy that the woman was thinking about returning to the city, especially Hotch. He didn’t want her to come back and it was wrong for him to feel that way. The woman had left without a second thought. If it were him he would have given up the job before giving up the man, but it hadn’t been him. 

 

“We’d still know it was you,” Aaron nodded towards Jack who was waving him over frantically. What kind of tent was that? 

 

What was that? Spencer disliked that smirk right about now. What was that supposed to mean? Was Hotch saying that he wouldn’t be able to pull off a good costume? That even if he were to try to disguise his face that he would be easy to pick out in a room filled with close to a hundred people? “I beg to differ.”

 

“You do?” Whatever retort his teammate was going to make was halted by the rush of his son grabbing his hand and dragging him towards the open tent. “What is it, Jack?”

 

“Can we do this?” Jack pointed to the freakish woman sitting behind the table. She was cool looking and Tyler said they’d be able to learn if they would be rich one day. He wanted to ask a few questions and this woman could see things no one else could. He wanted to have his fortune told.

 

“I don’t think it is meant for people under a certain age though.” And he really didn’t want to waste money on something that was a complete and total scam. These people did nothing but profile a person then tell them what they want to be told. 

 

“Dammit!” 

 

“Barry!” Aaron gently scolded the boy for his language. He could promise the boy that his mother would find her next husband very soon, so yes, he would have a new daddy by Christmas. 

 

“Then you do it,” Jack insisted since they were here. He wanted his dad to find out if they were going to be a family again. His dad wasn’t happy and was getting sadder because of Beth. This woman could help his dad find who he was supposed to be with. Determined to help, he pulled his parent towards the opening of the tent. “Can you tell my dad when he’ll be happy again?”

 

“Jack,” that was rather embarrassing. Aaron heard the chuckle from behind and would insist to send the genius in next. The woman held out her hand and indicated that he should take a seat to begin the fortune. He wanted to sternly tell them that she was a fraud and that it was a waste of money. All three were looking at him with wide eyes, wanting someone to experience having their fortune told. Quickly glancing back, he frowned seeing that the younger agent had taken a few steps back, he was on his own. “Fine, but you boys will have to wait with Reid.”

 

“Okay but you got to ask that.” Jack let go of his hand and happily returned to the others. 

 

The curtains dropped to place him alone with the fortune-teller. Aaron spotted the cord that was used to draw the material apart. The spectacle was fake and he would rather not have someone trying to lie to him but it was all for fun. 

 

“Come, sit,” the teller pulled a silk strip of cloth to expose a donation plate.

 

“Alright,” he took the seat opposite of the woman and deposited the ten bucks onto the plate. This shouldn’t take too long and he would just tell Jack what he wanted to hear once they left. A pale hand was extended for his own, which he gave for her to pretend to examine. She was going to profile him, he knew what she’d see. His clothing would point to someone that made a fair living. His tidy appearance of someone that took care of himself, which indicated pride, self-awareness, and being in control. Then she would note the lack of a wedding ring, which meant he wasn’t married or unhappily wed. That left the conversation between he and Jack. His son’s eagerness to find out about his happiness would inform the woman that he wasn’t seeing anyone seriously and that he wasn’t happy if he was. 

 

Just like he could tell that she was so accostumeed to living on the road that she didn’t bathe regularly and wasn’t aware that more than two days had passed since the last. Her hair was pulled back in a tight net but one could see the knots in the pale light. There was a pale ring where the wedding band used to sit on her finger. That with the smell of vodka, she was most likely going through a divorce.

 

She began after clearing her throat, “Your son wishes you to seek answers on how to discover happiness, but you do not wish to know because you no longer believe that it is possible. You believe that you lost your chance when you lost your first love and her death was a sign. I also see disappointment because what you recently thought might be love wasn’t, she didn’t stay.”

 

Not bad, but he wasn’t going to say so. The woman could be grasping at straws and her words could mean anything. Most men dated after losing a spouse. “And will I find happiness?”

 

“No, it will find you. It is already in your life and has been for a long time.” A bony finger ran along a broken line on the calloused palm. “Very soon what you thought wasn’t possible will make itself known. What you have always wanted will appear before you. I see unconditional love surrounded in the sky’s blue, an angel.”

 

“I see,” So an angel was going to come down from the sky and bless him with love? Aaron knew what he had always wanted and that was to find the one person he was meant to be with. For a long time he had thought that person was Haley but it hadn’t been. He still loved his wife but it pained him to think that he would never find his soul mate. 

 

“A warning,” she gripped his hand when he tried to move away. “If you refuse to open your eyes, you’ll forever remain blind, and another will take what you seek.”

 

“Thank you,” he wasn’t blind. He wanted to inform the woman that he made a living of profiling people, he was very good at his job. There was no way he’d be able to miss it if there was someone perfect for him in his sight. He was good at judging people and he would know it if someone could make him happy. Beth could have made him happy, she just hadn’t loved him enough. The entire point of trying to support her decision of leaving was to discover if they had a future. He had waited for any hesitation on her part that would indicate that she didn’t want to really leave him. 

 

The curtains were drawn apart and he stepped back out into the busy causeway to see that his company was no longer there. Panic set in until he remembered that Reid was with the boys and he looked around until he spotted them at another game. 

 

The woman’s words were placed in the back of his mind as he neared to see what was happening. All four were sitting, lined up with rifles in their hands. The carnie was taking something from Reid and stepped out of the way. A light came on over the seats and each seemed to be focusing. 

 

“Dammit, I’m out!” Barry pouted and huffed to turn in his seat. “Sorry, I mean darn it.”

 

“I’m going to win you something, Dad,” Jack eyed the moving target that his first shot missed. 

 

“Go for it,” he stood next to the other profiler who had yet to take a shot. Seconds later all three boys were finished with their ammo leaving just Reid, “What are the odds?”

 

“Don’t ask,” Reid was mentally calculating the best time to try firing the cheap gun. The rifles were rigged not have much force when firing so the speed in which the BB was ejected from the barrel made the odds of being able to gauge when to shoot difficult. He was sure the carnival would insist that the guns were tampered with to ensure that no one lost an eye. “Don’t worry, if I win, you can have the prize.”

 

“I want the blue bear,” Aaron pointed to the small stuffed animal on the nearby shelf. The rifle made a noise as the trigger was squeezed and the light blared overhead announcing that the target had been struck. 

 

“He wants the blue one,” Spencer wiped his hands on his jeans as the attendant snatched it from the shelf to hand towards them. He leaned over to take the prize, “Here you go.”

 

“Right,” he was going to look real cute carrying it around all night. “Boys, why don’t we go get something to eat? Then we can get on the ferris wheel after I wash Barry’s mouth out.”

 

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Seven hours, that was all the time he had. Spencer paced in front of the closed door, feeling like an idiot the longer he waited for someone to hear the knocking over the loud music. He knew they were both home and he didn’t know who else to ask. JJ had called him two hours ago to remind him that the bash was still on and that they were expecting him to show. She had politely asked what he was going to wear and he had told her that he wasn’t dressing up. The blonde had laughed and asked if he needed to borrow a bag. It hadn’t been funny and he had repeated what Hotch had said last week about being able to tell it was him. After getting off of the phone he decided to dress up. The problem was that it was the night of the party and he really didn’t want to go in something traditional or cheap. That left him with one option; to seek outside help from someone that would understand what he needed. 

 

The door was yanked open and the blonde male almost had his temperature turning deadly. The stacked body was on display, nothing but a towel wrapped around the hips. Austin was a beautiful man and had no sense of decency. “Uh, hi, is Shelby in?”

 

“Yep, come on in,” Austin held the door open for him to enter the apartment. 

 

“Thanks,” Spencer stepped inside, making sure not to cause any contact with the naked male. It wouldn’t be right to garner attention from one of the only people he felt comfortable enough with to ask for help. He had met the couple six months ago and he had instantly loved the duo. 

 

“Spence,” Shelby came out of the kitchen in sweats, adorning a bright pink apron to boot. The long, black hair was pulled high in a ponytail, leaving large, brown eyes free of the bangs that normally blocked the man’s view. “I thought you had a party tonight, did you change your mind?”

 

“Um no, egging houses is still considered destruction of private property, and I’m thinking about going to the party.” Spencer didn’t care what they did in their free time but he wasn’t going to break the law just for a few kicks. “I actually came to ask for some advice.”

 

“Oh, who is he and when do we get to meet him?” Austin plopped down on the couch. 

 

“None of your business and don’t sit on that couch while you’re still wet. Go put some clothes on, you’re making him uncomfortable.” Shelby brought the dishrag across the bulky arm to get the lazy ass up. They knew not to pressure the agent about his love life. Not everyone was out of the closet and he was putting his money on the cutie still being a virgin. “What do you need?”

 

“Well, it is going to be a costume party and I don’t have anything to wear.” Spencer didn’t just want a simple costume to wear to the event. He wanted to test out a theory and he would need their help. “The thing is one of my coworkers made the comment that he’d be able to identify me even if I were to completely cover up my head.”

 

“Wow, that is kind of a good thing, you know. It just means that he knows you well enough that he’d be able to tell it was you.” 

 

“I doubt it, we aren’t that close, and I’d like to test it. I need you to help me look different somehow without completely covering up my face.” Spencer wasn’t sure how to do it but he was willing to go the extra measures to hide his identity. Then when it was done, he would have the pleasure of proving Hotch wrong. 

 

“So you want to look different to prove that some ass won’t know it was you?” Austin came back into the room after yanking on boxers. 

 

“Something like that but I wouldn’t really call him an ass.” And he didn’t like someone else calling Hotch an ass. Spence ignored that the towel had covered up more than the skimpy boxers. “So what can you do for me?”

 

“Hmmm, you have such a pretty face.” Shelby clicked his tongue and walked behind the slender frame. It would be kind of difficult due to the height but it was possible. “I can do something for you but I have two questions: Can you wear heels and are you willing to shave your legs?”

 

“I can wear one inch without breaking my face and I guess.” Spencer had gotten used to the concept of heels while playing dressup with his mother’s clothes. He had broken his ass many times when attempting to walk down the stairs in three inch pumps. When he wasn’t reading he had been pretending to be his entire family. “What are you thinking?”

 

“I’m thinking that your hair is long enough to plaid, so a full head weave.”

 

“Wait, don’t you have wigs?” Spencer didn’t want to go that far for a costume. Wasn’t that painful? He didn’t like having his hair messed with except to get cut and that wasn’t often. 

 

“A wig is cheap and wouldn’t give the look we want. We want it to appear that you aren’t what you are. We will put in an entire weave, some makeup, and I have the perfect costume to pull it all off. Austin, put decent clothes on, I’ll need you to head down to the mall to pick up a few things. We are going to turn our Spence into the bell of the ball.”

 

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Please review for me! And if there are mistakes soooo sorry, do my own editing.


	2. The Late Arrival

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Chapter Two, a bit sooner than I normally would but I figure what the hell, may as well. Before posting this chapter I did a bit of research on the net. I was concerned about it being too obvious that Spencer would be spotted as a male right away due to his adam's apple. I even googled a lot of pics of him (gotta love google images) and in most you really can't notice it that much. Not unless he has his head turned in an upwards angle to look, well, up. Please search online or wherever if you don't want to take my word on it but everyone actually has what is known as an adam's apple, I won't go into an explanation of what it is. It is just more prominent in males. There are actually some female stars that have very noticeable ones and men you can't even tell. So Hotch or any other man seeing it in the off chance Spencer were to tilt his head all the way back, it wouldn't be confirmation of his sex. The only other problem I had was with his hands, he has manly hands, but some females can have manly hands (my aunt does, but you didn't hear that from me). Okay, so please read and let me know what you think!

Warnings: A twist of lime

 

Disclaimer: Don't own it or make money!

 

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Chapter Two

 

He shouldn’t have done it! Spencer fidgeted in the back seat of the taxi and didn’t care if he looked odd. The side of his knee was starting to itch from the lack of hair and he was sure he had more cuts than hair follicles at the moment. Couldn’t he have worn the dress without killing his limbs? Granted Shelby had allowed him to try on the stockings without going through the process of shaving but that had been pointless. His hair had been springing through the fragile material, ending the masquerade. Austin had laughed and reminded him that women didn’t walk around with wooly legs. So he sat with legs, arms, and armpits free of fur. 

 

Not only did he have no hair on his exposed body but the four hours it had taken Shelby had ended with him having a head full of thick, brunette hair. The damn weave was real human hair so he would have to take care with it, Shelby wanted it back. The length ended mid-back and had enough curl to appear bounce worthy from a magazine ad. Shockingly the long tresses made his features gentler in appearance. With the added cosmetics, he looked like a damn girl. Looking different was the entire point of this charade but he felt like a damn girl. Even the fucking driver thought he was a girl. 

 

“Going to a party, Miss?”

 

Yay, small talk which may turn into unwanted flirtation. Spencer only smiled at the man. Shelby swore that the makeup was expensive and good for twelve hours, not even the world’s best blowjob would make his lipstick smear. What he really hated was the brazier that was jammed with fake padding. Did women really feel the need for these gel-filled paddings? It did make him look like he had a laughable twin pair of breasts. What he adored was the gown, it was beautiful. 

 

Spencer didn’t do designer but the gown had to cost his neighbor a fortune. The length flowed freely to his shoes, as soft as silk, and went well with the flats. He had refused to wear the heels that would make him a giant. Austin assured him that most wouldn’t bother looking to see if they could inspect his footwear. Many would just assume that he was a tall woman that had used heels to add more height. The top was modest, leaving his arms and throat bare, he hadn’t been paying attention when he’d been shoved into the thing. He had been concerned if people would be able to see the half-brazier. It couldn’t be seen and the gown wasn’t designed to show cleavage. Even better, it came with a shawl. The traditional ball mask was on his face to complete it. All that was left was to throw his voice to be softer and he might be able pull off the ultimate costume. 

 

“Dammit,” the earrings were fucking killing his ears. Why had he listened and allowed them to be pierced? The studs were large enough to cover up any redness until he got home and removed them. No way was he going to swap them out for the simple pair Austin had offered. He wasn’t going to leave the holes open. He should have gone with the kind that clip on. 

 

“This is the place,” the driver pulled along the driveway, bypassing the many vehicles that were parked. 

 

Right, time to work his costume. Keep his voice low, his head held down to keep anyone from noticing the obvious fact that he was male, and pray that his mascara didn’t run. The cab stopped near the front door and he reached inside the bodice to withdraw the twenty he had stashed. “Keep the change.”

 

The vehicle pulled off leaving him standing at the foot of the steps. Inside the party was raging, the music so loud the glass was vibrating. No way the Italian was happy about the outcome, because something was going to end up broke by the end of the night. Most likely his ass because he had to make it up the steps without disgracing himself. “I can do this, I can do this.”

 

The front door was yanked open by an elderly couple that was leaving in a hurry. The wife was wearing a crown and the husband an eye patch, they didn’t match. Spencer politely thanked them before scooting inside the still open door. The husband nodded and made sure to hold it open to allow him inside. 

 

“Stop gawking, Harold.”

 

Was his crossdressing that apparent? Spencer halted at the harsh tone and turned to see what the man was staring at. The old man still had the door open and was watching him. The eyes were boldly running along his covered legs and landed on his face. Did the man know? Did his walk make it obvious that he was a man? The wife yanked on the husband’s arms and the door closed shut, putting Spencer alone in a familiar place. He knew where to go for the party.

 

His trek put him past many people that were dressed for the occasion. No one bothered to stop him or to ask why he was wearing a dress. He also didn’t spot any of his team on the way out back. Pen and JJ had really outdone themselves with the decorations, with the help of Rossi’s once second and soon to be next wife. Carved pumpkins were lined along the glass doors leading outside. Lights were strewn everywhere to light up the grounds and he could see the buffet table before stepping out. 

 

Barely outside, he stopped to take a quick look around, unsure of what to do next. The first member of his team was spotted, it was Penelope. The robust woman was standing near the table with a glass in hand, dressed as cat woman. Not far were JJ and Will, both speaking to another couple, and they were dressed in matching army duds. Wait, he knew the woman that was wearing an offensive playboy bunny outfit. That was Beth, he recognized her the moment she turned her face to look in the direction towards the gazebo swing. That was definitely Beth but the man standing next to her wasn’t their boss. Thor was too short with atrocious calf muscles but had his arm around the woman’s waist. Her date but once more she glanced towards the gazebo area. 

 

Spencer stepped around a group that was debating on who could drink the most without ending up in a coma. He was looking for one person in particular and it took only a moment to find him. Sitting on the swing relaxing was Hotch, dressed as Prince Charming. He almost laughed at the idea but then it struck him that the pants were most likely leotards. Who had convinced the man to wear something so gaudy? Like he had room to talk, he looked like a girl, and Hotch just looked over to spot him. 

 

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Why had he let JJ convince him to wear this thing? Aaron massaged his eyes, willing the headache to go away. He should have just attended in his suit and pretended to be a lawyer. He looked ridiculous and the hose was riding into forbidden areas. Why had he remained once it had become apparent that Beth was moving on? The others had already spoken to him to make sure he was alright with the fact that his ex was here with another man. He was fine, he really wasn’t that upset over it. Which made him wonder why he wanted to talk to her in the first place. If it didn’t bother him that she had a date, were his feelings strong enough to attempt reconciling? Not giving a shit was a sure sign that things were done. 

 

It was one of the things that had floored him with Haley. The affair had never been discussed because he had let the obvious signs slide, not wanting to make the situation worse. The first sign was the lack of sex whenever he was home at night. The second was the hang ups whenever he would answer the phone. The last was when she had accidently whimpered another man’s name in her sleep. Thinking back he couldn’t fault her for having an affair or leaving him. He had put his job first and he hadn’t really made any attempts to stop her from leaving. No tears had been shed when she had walked out or filed for a divorce. Just like he hadn’t shed a tear when Beth had decided to take the job offer. Was he the problem?

 

Aaron leaned back on the swing to get comfortable. Not caring that Thor had kissed his ex fully on the cheek. He wanted her to be happy, she deserved it. They hadn’t been happy enough together to NOT want to part, so she was free to seek it elsewhere. He would seek it if he thought it was possible for himself. Getting up in age he was positive that his chance was gone. If he could be a great dad for Jack, he’d content himself with that. There was little chance that his soul mate would suddenly come looking for him. 

 

An angel surely wasn’t going to appear and hand him love. The fortune teller was wrong, he would miss out on love because it wasn’t there for him to find. What the hell, was he developing a memory like Reid’s? Why did he have to recall what some fraud said to him? By saying love would find him but he would miss out if he didn’t look was another way of saying ‘I don’t know what I’m talking about so I’ll be vague as hell.’ He should have made the kid get his done, see if she told him the same line. 

 

Where was the genius anyways? JJ had insisted that Reid was going to show up but the party was three hours in and there was still no sign of him. Aaron knew because he had been constantly waiting to see if someone would show up wearing a bag. Groaning, he adjusted his seat to allow his balls room to move in the tight pants. Another half hour he was going to call it a night and make his excuses. Right after he called to see why Reid wasn’t showing like the rest of them. 

 

He opened his eyes to see if he could spot the youngest member mulling around. There was no Reid near JJ, or by the heavily drinking Garcia, and Rossi was still with the large group of fans. He turned his head, considering heading into the house to check. There was no doctor, there was an angel dressed in a blue gown. The only things missing were the wings and glowing halo. Dressed for a masquerade ball, she was enchanting. The light from the flickering candles nearby made the entrance almost surreal. She was beautiful and that jackass Carter had also spotted her. 

 

A few moments went by before the woman excused herself and scooted by the disappointed agent. Aaron watched her nod at Penelope and continue to walk in the direction of the gazebo, in his direction. Nice, she was tall but slender, almost scrawny. Not that it was a bad thing, he actually liked them slender. It didn’t matter that she didn’t have much upstairs or had a narrow waist, she was exquisite. She was also coming over. 

 

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Really? Spencer excused himself from the questions before he shrieked at the womanizing asshole. He knew who Carter was and he wasn’t interested. Later he’d have to give Austin the fifty he just lost on their bet. Did he really look that much like a woman that even a womanizing pig couldn’t tell? This was Morgan’s fault for always calling him Pretty Boy, it had turned him pretty. The one he wanted to test out was still seated and not moving.

 

Uncaring how it would appear, he walked past everyone that gave him a greeting to step up inside the open gazebo. He wanted to see how long it took before Hotch realized that it was him in drag. The odds that it wouldn’t take his boss more than a few minutes at most to discover his secret. “Hello, do you mind?”

 

“Please do,” Aaron scooted a bit to allow her enough room to sit next to him. She smiled softly at him with lush pink, kissable lips and turned to lower herself. He couldn’t help it, he had to glance over to see what he could, and despite being thin, she had a great ass. The long legs were placed in front and crossed in a lady-like fashion. 

 

“I didn’t expect so many people to be here,” Spencer commented when at least twenty more came walking out of the house. How many were hiding inside the main section? The price of the booze on that table had to be worth of a month’s salary. 

 

And he hadn’t been expecting a beautiful stranger to show up either. Aaron allowed his gaze to take in every inch of the profile, studying her face. His stomach coiled in recognition but he was positive they had never met before. The lovely features turned, looking directly at him. The eyes made his breath catch, where had he seen eyes like that before? Almost dark brown but there was a definite mix of green that gave a dreamy effect. Bedroom eyes, the kind that made you never want to look away. Was she saying something?

 

“You alright?” Spencer grew concerned the longer his boss remained silent. There was a plastic, red cup in his hand that had to be filled with booze. The team had official invites to remain the night instead of driving home drunk. Was Hotch upset because of Beth? The ex had yet to take her gaze away from the swing. “I think she wants to talk to you.”

 

“Who does?” Who? He didn’t want to talk to anyone else. Aaron licked the back of his teeth, his eyes dropping to the pouting lips. 

 

“Beth’s been watching you for a while now.” Spencer felt out of place when Hotch turned his attention to the Bunny that seemed to want him to acknowledge that she was there. Was the date a means to make the man jealous? He hated to break it to her, Hotch wasn’t the jealous type. “I can go sit elsewhere if you want her to come over.”

 

“No, I would like it if you were to stay.” He didn’t want her to go. He was sure Beth just wanted to say hello and to make sure that he didn’t care that she wasn’t alone. It was just like her to apologize for bringing a date unannounced. He didn’t care, he was more interested in the one already sitting next to him. 

 

“Are you sure?” He didn’t mind but if Hotch wanted to talk to Beth, it wasn’t his place to prevent it. 

 

“I am,” Aaron stretched out an arm to rest on the back of the swing. His company shrugged before leaning towards the obvious limb, “I hope the weather holds.”

 

“If it doesn’t they will have to take the bobbing contest inside. Do you know how large the pot has gotten to?” Spencer wasn’t going to try to prove how fast he could pull out an apple with his teeth. The two blondes had bantered on the last ride home that they could beat each other’s time. Everyone had turned bright red when JJ had boasted that Will always enjoyed how she was awesome with her mouth. 

 

“It was at fifty players the last I heard, that puts the pot up to twenty-five hundred already.” Aaron wondered how she knew his ex. Someone had to invite her to the party. “Are you going to join them?”

 

“Why? So they can flaunt the skills I’m sure I lack.” No way, he wasn’t going to compete against those two, he sucked with his mouth. He knew the basics of trying to grab an apple but it wasn’t that easy. He’d leave the games for those with more experience with putting foreign objects in their mouths. 

 

She was friends with the couple, through Beth maybe. Aaron didn’t want to discuss his ex-girlfriend’s special skills. He wanted a name, “How do you know Beth?”

 

“Huh?” That got Spencer to snap his head to look at the man sitting close. What had he asked? How did he know Beth? Because they worked together and he had to live with the fact that the man he found to be very desirable loved her. Had Hotch yet to realize who he was? Then why had he insisted that he sit when it was obvious that Beth wanted to talk? Did he still look like a stranger? His costume wasn’t that damn good or was Hotch that drunk? “F..ff…friends.”

 

The blush was adorable, Aaron liked it. He wanted to remove that mask to get a complete image but it would be rude to ask. “I didn’t catch your name.”

 

“Because I didn’t throw it,” and he wasn’t sure what to do now. Should he inform Hotch of his identity or let it play out a bit longer so the man couldn’t claim to have known all along? He had to wait for the perfect moment to announce it, it was the only way to prove his point. 

 

That was acceptable if she didn’t want to tell a stranger her name. He could wait to get it, “Fair enough. Would you like to take a walk around the grounds? They are about to start the contest.”

 

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“You should really put your shoes back on,” Aaron lectured, concern at the bare feet beneath the gown. Every once in a while a toe sneaked out. For the last two hours they had walked around making small talk while the party raged in the distance. 

 

“They are killing my feet,” Spencer had no idea how women did it. JJ and Emily normally worked in heels, the woman had earned unknown points after tonight. 

 

“Then why wear them?” He noticed that they weren’t the normal heels but she didn’t need help with her height. Beneath the dress were legs that were made to wrap around a man’s waist. 

 

“Because sneakers don’t go with this dress,” Spencer sighed for his poor toes that would have blisters come morning. “I swore off heels when I broke my ass bone as a child.”

 

“How did you manage that?” He tried not to laugh at such a horrible memory but it was hard. Just as hard as it was not to let his gaze swing back to inspect the ass of topic. 

 

“I was playing dress up and it was Mom’s turn to lecture my toys. I heard my parents fighting downstairs so I rushed to put her things back and I tripped over a book that I had been reading earlier at the foot of the stairs. I completely forgot to take the heels off first so I took a tumble.” Spencer could still recall every detail of his father’s face seeing him at the bottom in his mother’s gown and shoes near the top. 

 

“I can see why it would put you off, I wouldn’t wear them after that either.” He was glad it hadn’t turned out worse, a fall down the stairs could be dangerous. “I think I feel rain in the air. Why don’t we find some place quiet inside?”

 

“Alright,” Spencer almost freaked when the hand landed on his lower back. How much more would he have to share before Hotch realized who he was? He should have admitted to it ten minutes into their walk but he hadn’t been able to find the words. Not once the man had smiled at him like he really wanted him to be there. “Are you checking out my ass?”

 

Busted but he hadn’t been subtle about it. The voice rose in shock and he was surprised that she was. Every man they had crossed paths with had checked out his company. One of those that didn’t know her own appeal. “I was and I apologize if it made you uncomfortable.”

 

“Um, not really.” It was just weird to know that his boss was checking out his backside. No way he was going to ever admit that he had dressed up as a girl now. How could they work together after Hotch had been ogling him? It didn’t matter if the man liked what he saw or not, it was attached to him. “Just surprised is all.”

 

“Why?” He asked as he held the side door open for her to step inside. Again, he let his gaze drop for a second to reaffirm his decision that he liked what he saw. 

 

Because he was Reid, he wasn’t Beth. Even as a girl he looked nothing like Hotch’s exes. Haley had been beautiful and delicate. Beth was also considered beautiful and curvy, with an athletic tone. Instead of heading to the dying party in the back, he was directed up the stairs. “Because I figured that Beth was more your type and why are we heading upstairs?”

 

“They are playing darts in the study, the front room is filled with people crashing and vomiting, and I’d rather not hang around the kitchen. I swear I will not touch you.” 

 

Right, because he wasn’t Haley or Beth. Spencer wondered why he was freaking out to begin with, this was Hotch. The man wasn’t the type to do a one-night stand, especially with a man. And not when a stunned JJ slid to a halt as Hotch opened the room door for them. “People are gawking.”

 

“Let them,” Hotch let her be the first to walk into the room that had been given to him for the night. He nodded at JJ who was coming out of her and Will’s room. He didn’t have to explain himself to anyone and he was a grown man. Dave had been on his case for months now to find someone so that was exactly what he was going to do. 

 

“Are you sure you don’t mind word getting back to Beth? There is a chance that guy is just a friend,” Spencer sat on the edge, “Doubt you want her getting the wrong impression.”

 

How much had Beth mentioned of their relationship? What did she know about him? Was that the reason for the concern? Had his ex shared the fact that they had sex on the first date? “What impression would that be?”

 

“That you brought me up here for more than just talk.” Spencer gave in to the need and got comfortable against the headboard. It was past time to admit to Hotch that he was himself. To keep talking with the hopes of getting just a few more minutes of attention was absurd. Hotch would never be interested in him that way. “If she hears that we are in here, she might think you’re interested in someone else.”

 

“But I am,” he was very interested in learning who he had spent the evening with for many reasons. He had enjoyed their conversation greatly. The witty banter, the blushing, and how easy he found it to talk. 

 

“I know you aren’t referring to me,” Spencer was sure his jaw hit the mattress at the nod. This wasn’t happening, it wasn’t. There was no way in hell this was happening between he and Hotch. Dammit, how embarrassing was it going to be when he admitted who he was? There was one sure way to end it without having to reveal himself. Obviously Hotch couldn’t tell it was him with most of his face hidden by hair and mask, but he could always admit to being a male dressed as a girl. “You don’t even know me.”

 

“True, I don’t know your name. There is a lot I don’t know about you,” Things like if his company was really a female. It was hard to tell with that damn thing on. All he could make out was the jaw, the mouth, and the eyes. Half of the picture was missing, so he couldn’t say for sure. If his guest were a male then he was still beautiful. Three other people had shown up at the start of the party dressed as the Pointer Sisters, only one a female. He wasn’t sure with the height, slender frame, and most women would just blush or be flattered if he were caught checking them out. The idea didn’t bother him, even though he had never experimented with another male. 

 

Besides, hadn’t he been told that happiness would find him? It was ludicrous to put any belief in what a fortune teller said but for a moment he wanted to not care. Every moment in his life was always done the right way, and he rarely took chances. He had married his high school sweetheart and started a family, content with the peaceful existence he had been living when it came to love. Beth had also been safe, she had been normal. A woman close to his own age, employed, completely risk-free, and he had never been in love with her. 

 

Aaron knew his friends, co-workers, and family would be appalled to realize that he was thinking about trusting in fate. Didn’t it mean something that someone fitting the very description had found him? He wanted to do as Dave suggested and just go with it. At this point he didn’t really care if his angel turned out to be the same gender. Male or female, he felt a pull and he wanted to know where it could lead. 

 

“What are you doing?” Spencer panicked having the large hand reach out to touch his covered knee. He hadn’t come inside the room for this, not this. What the hell? This wasn’t right, Hotch wasn’t the type to hit on a stranger. Maybe flirt but not make a move on. Okay, maybe he really didn’t know his boss that well because the man was getting too close for comfort. 

 

“Trying to kiss you,” he wanted to see if the mouth was as smooth as it looked. Aaron leaned in after scooting closer on the mattress. If his guest wanted things to stop, he would do so. He wouldn’t force himself on anyone and all it would take would be to turn away.

 

“Oh,” why did his words fail him? Spencer couldn’t think of anything else to say to explain why that would be a really, really horrible idea because it was. He couldn’t kiss Hotch, not that the man realized who he was kissing. But what would one kiss hurt? It was just a little kiss and he would never get this chance again. What would it hurt? Maybe just a quick kiss to see what it was like. “Okay.”

 

“Okay,” he leaned in and turned to the side to come in. The perfect mouth was so close and he knew before it began that a chaste kiss wasn’t going to be enough. Not when the mouth was so soft, smooth, and sent a jolt of awareness down his spine. 

 

WOW, that was all his infamous IQ could come up with feeling the strong lips coast along his own. Spencer closed his eyes and sighed, trying to memorize every second, every sensation of the timid kiss. He was aware of how close the larger man was, a little further and issues would arise. The slick wetness coaxed him into parting his lips to let the tip of Hotch’s tongue to enter. It was a huge mistake, one he didn’t think he could regret making. The man kissed like he did everything else; bold, confident, and demanding. The few females he had tried to kiss in his college years had left him completely unaffected. This was one of those things JJ and Emily had discussed on the jet one afternoon; a kiss that made the toes curl. All the nerves in his body felt alive when he managed to meet the action, trying to participate in the kiss. It was difficult to do anything but get lost in the way his mouth was being devoured. 

 

Aaron felt the air hit his tongue the moment his hand came in contact with the smooth cheek. The mask was still in place, keeping the identity in the dark. He wouldn’t pressure, not yet, and he really didn’t want to risk being pushed away. The kiss continued until his lungs felt about ready to burst and then a few more minutes. Each time their tongues clashed it was like having the fire in his groin prodded with a poker. He couldn’t remember the last time a single kiss had gotten him so aroused. His body was alive with anticipation and wanted to get closer to the heat that was beneath him. 

 

“Wa…” Spencer whimpered when he was given time to take a deep breath before his mouth was captured in a wild kiss. There was no playing, each swipe of Hotch’s tongue was all about causing the lust in his groin to flare to new heights. So caught up in the dominating kiss, he didn’t realize how close the man’s torso had gotten until it was too late. Bodies came in contact and he got to feel that he wasn’t the only one affected by the kiss. And there was no way in hell the other man would have missed the erection that he was sporting. His wasn’t as impressive as his boss’ but it was more than noticeable, especially when the man’s groin rubbed into his own to come back for a second inspection. “Wait, shit.”

 

“You okay?” Dammit, he didn’t want to feel like he was forcing anything to happen, but Aaron was extremely disappointed hearing the words. Not when he could feel the arousal that they shared so close to his own. Rutting would be very juvenile but he’d take that right now. His body felt on fire and the need to get closer was prodding him to continue. 

 

“Um,” Spencer wasn’t sure what to say at the moment but a moan escaped when the slightest movement caused the thickness to brush against his own. The moment of getting upset and angry over the discovery that both had a penis didn’t come. Had Hotch discovered who he was without him saying anything or was the man okay with the fact that he was making out with another male? Did that mean Hotch was comfortable with the idea of being bi-sexual? “No, I’ve just never, you know.”

 

“Me either,” but he wanted to kiss him again. Aaron lowered slowly to give plenty of time for the word no to be uttered. It wasn’t. A few times he had imagined what it would be like to kiss another male. The problem was he didn’t know any that were bi or homo-sexual that he was attracted to. For him it was about how a person made him feel and he liked what he felt when his company leaned forward to initiate the next kiss. 

 

That much Spencer was aware of and it made him wonder if Hotch was really okay with kissing another male. True to form, the appointed alpha male took control of things. The heat of their kiss and the pressure between them, which was killing him. Their cocks were touching while covered by their clothing, but there was no other form of friction to help ease the ache. Was it to let him know that kissing him wasn’t a turn-off? 

 

‘Fuck,’ Aaron moaned harshly feeling the hands going into his hair. The skilled fingers that had been the only real give away that his company wasn’t a female. Fingertips played with the nape, lightly stroking the sensitive area, and giving him chills. That combined with the coy fight for dominance had his cock leaking. A husky moan escaped from the slender throat causing the world to spin. 

 

Was that really their Unit Chief making that noise? Spencer placed a quick peck on the bottom lip, loving the feel of Hotch’s breath coming out in quick pants. If he didn’t know better he’d say the man was trembling but it wasn’t that cool in the room. Was this the cooldown period before they ended up doing something foolish? He didn’t want to stop, he wanted to keep touching. Bottom line, he wanted something he couldn’t have. 

 

That was horrifying, and fantastic that his moment of disgrace hadn’t been noticed. Aaron let the mouth adorn his jaw with affection, the entire time praying that the pants would soak up most of his accident. He hadn’t ejaculated prematurely since he was a teenager and then it had taken some innocent stoking to humiliate him. Not only had he released but his cock was very angry that it had been done so in such a solitary manner. Oh, that was going to severely test his morals. A foot was running along his calf, opening up the thighs below to do so. Unable to resist the temptation, he reached a hand down to find the raised knee. The material of the gown was slid out of the way to expose a smooth limb. Such soft skin, all the way to the inner thigh. 

 

Spencer wasn’t sure how much more he could take. Not when the mouth was back on him, kissing like their life depended on it, and the hand was doing things that shouldn’t be possible. It wasn’t that close to his private area but the twinges in his groin indicated the start of the end. The damn thumb was driving him crazy. Truthfully just the idea of whose hand was caressing him was about to make him go. It was Hotch rubbing his thigh, the man’s cock rubbing against him, and the deep voice that he had come to constantly listen for moaned greedily into his own mouth. Hearing the lust-filled growl sent him over the edge, straight into insanity. 

 

That was so hot. Aaron couldn’t resist running his fingers around to cup the lush bottom that had lifted off of the mattress. The beauty beneath him was shaking and making the most adorable sounds to indicate each time the pleasure spiked during orgasm. 

 

“HOOOTCCHHH!” The name was screamed a split second before the door practically gave away under the frantic pounding. 

 

“Shit! Sec,” he scrambled from the bed and raced to the door. It was JJ on the other side screaming for his attention. He knew it had to be important if she were disturbing him so he didn’t yell at her, “JJ?”

 

“Rossi said to get you. They are fighting, I’m mean she’s fighting. No one else will do anything,” JJ had yanked her own husband back when Will had come out of it with a busted nose from a misplaced elbow. Their boss could handle it, even if one of them were no longer employed by the BAU. Things were more one-sided but no one wanted to risk getting injured due to a very pissed off and drunk Garcia. 

 

“Coming,” the fight most likely explained the hacker’s mood as of late. He turned to the one laying on the mattress with a look of concern. He didn’t want to leave but he didn’t think Dave would send for him if anyone else could handle it. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.” 

 

“Go,” Spencer wasn’t sure who was fighting but JJ had said it was a she, that meant one out of two were down there causing a scene. If Hotch was being dragged down then it was a member of their team, so most likely it was Penelope down there. It wasn’t like the normally cheerful analyst to be violent, but he wouldn’t normally allow their boss to get him off either. The man nodded and rushed out of the door without glancing back, leaving him alone. 

 

Leaving him alone to allow the situation to sink in as the complimentary box of tissue was grabbed from the bedside table. He was alone in a room waiting for his boss to come back to possibly end the night in sex after already getting off once. That wasn’t a wise course of action. What were the chances of continuing without the man wanting to remove the mask? Hotch would want to see who he was being with and that couldn’t happen. He couldn’t let anyone know that he was up here hoping their boss would seduce him. No, he had to go while everyone was distracted. 

 

Both shoes were snatched from where they had placed and the soiled tissue hastily tossed into the trash. His feet hit the carpet running, he barely noticed if anyone was out in the hall, and he paid no heed to those he went by on the way to the front door. His escape was halted for a brief moment to see what was causing the commotion through the open doors. Hotch was trying to hold onto a frantic Penelope and a busted up Morgan was pleading with her to calm down. He was curious as to why the two would fight but he had his own problems to concern himself with. Thankfully the few guests that were still around were too interested in the fight to worry about someone leaving. 

 

There was no one to call him back or to inquire what the hurry was as he ran out of the front doors to race down the front stairs. What were the odds? A man dressed up as a devil was stepping out of a cab, arriving to the party just in time for the highlight. Spencer waved his arms frantically, “Hold the cab, please.”

 

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Please drop me a comment/review, they fuel my desire to update!


	3. The Morning After

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hello! Okay, this is the next chapter, sorry, I'm in training and once I finish I will be working a lot so updates may be irregular and not as soon as some would like. Hmmm lets see, there is a some slight mention of Hotch/Beth, nothing graphic so don't beat me up. Also, being a profiler I don't think it would take him too long to put a few things together. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Don't own it

 

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Chapter Three

 

“Ouch, are you leaving any hair?” Spencer winced with the next tug of thread ripped off pieces of his scalp. Beauty took more than pain, it took hair, pride, and sanity all at once. This was the last time he allowed the neighbors near his hair. He would be bald before the rest of the weave was removed. “Please, I could be called into work at any moment, and I can’t exactly explain to my boss that I’m busy getting my weave removed.”

 

“Shush you, you only lost three strands so far and that is awesome for the average male.” Shelby nipped the thread at the knot to begin on the next line. “If he calls I can tell him that you are in the bathroom with the shits.”

 

“Cute, and I already used that excuse for as to why I didn’t attend the party.” He had lied when JJ had called to invite him out for lunch today. After waking up he had rushed to get his hair done so he had claimed to have come down with an upset stomach. She had mothered him by giving instructions on how to alieve an upset tummy without him having to explain what it was doing. It made him feel horrible that he had lied about his evening. 

 

“So you’re positive the boss didn’t recognize you?” 

 

“Positive, or he wouldn’t have made out with me.” Spencer mumbled under his breath. It was one thing to know that he hadn’t been recognized but he had made out with his unsuspecting supervisor. How could he continue to work under the man when he knew what it was like to be beneath him physically?

 

“What? I am so proud of you. Did he even realize that you were a guy?” Shelby quickly swatted away the two strands that had gotten caught in the path of the scissors. 

 

“Maybe not at first but he knew before we finished.” The poor gown would need to be taken to a dry cleaner. “Unfortunately, I finished without removing the gown. I’ll pay for the cleaning bill.”

 

“Who cares about that? What is important is that you finished. What was it like?” Asking about another man was taboo but he was curious. 

 

Spencer didn’t want to lie to one of the two people that knew his secret. No one else knew that he was bi-sexual and lately he was leaning more towards craving cock. “It was amazing, but I kind of knew it would be. I made out with Hotch, it couldn’t have been anything less than perfect.”

 

“You say that because you like him. Trust me, ninety-nine percent of the time it isn’t perfect and never lives up to the fantasy. So how did he take finding out it was you?” 

 

“He didn’t find out,” Spencer grunted at the pop to the back of his head. “I ran when he was called away. I couldn’t let him find out that it was me.”

 

“Why not?”

 

“Because,” because it was Hotch. Spencer didn’t want to throw a pity party over what he couldn’t have. Things would never happen between them. He’d known the man for almost twelve years and not once had there been any attraction from Hotch’s side. The man saw him as a subordinate, not as dating material. “I’m not stupid. He was merely attracted to the unknown and some of it probably had to do with the fact that the ex he is still in love with showed up at the party with a date. I was just a distraction for the evening and that is why it didn’t matter if I was a male.”

 

“You have such a sour outlook, I don’t think I like you.” Shelby placed the hair gently on the thin shoulder, his fingers making short work of the next row. 

 

He didn’t like himself at the moment. Spencer felt horrible after what he had done and what could have happened. If he hadn’t ran, would he have ended up sleeping with his boss? How could he look at the man without confessing to what he had allowed to happen? He was a damn good profiler and he knew why he Hotch had continued to spend time with him. The man was hurting and had wanted reassurance that he was still desirable, so much that he would accept attention from a stranger. The fact that it had continued after his cock had been discovered proved just how depressed Hotch was. “I just want to pretend this didn’t happen and go back to pretending that he is just my boss.”

 

“Honey, you weren’t able to do that before he touched you.” 

 

“You aren’t helping,” and how much longer? A weight was lifted seeing the pile of hair resting on the table and no longer attached to his head. That just left the braided rolls of hair to be undone before he gave into the impulse to shave it off. 

 

“If you want someone to lie and tell you nothing will change then talk to Austin, he’s the idiot in the relationship.” 

 

Saying that things wouldn’t change, wouldn’t be a lie. Spencer tried to calm his nerves, reassuring himself that nothing would be different between them. Hotch had no way of knowing that it was him and didn’t really have a reason to worry about who it had been. He’d go to work and pretend he hadn’t attended the party. That was what he’d do, after he answered his phone. The cell vibrated in his pocket forcing the stylist to stop, “Can I call you back, JJ?”

 

“Sorry, but we need you to come in. Hotch told me to call you and Rossi in,” the blonde woman didn’t sound right. He could tell that she wanted to tell him something but he had declined the offer for lunch. 

 

“Alright, I was just about to jump in the shower so it’ll be an hour before I can get in.” Hopefully it wouldn’t take much longer to get his hair undone. A shower would be needed to get the frightening bends out that made it obvious his hair had spent some time plaited. 

 

“That is good, the tension should have lessened by then.” Her voice paused before continuing. “There is something you need to know before you come in. I meant to tell you over lunch so you’ll know what is going on. There was a fight at the party, it was really bad.”

 

“What happened?” What had caused the bubbly hacker to try clawing Morgan’s face off? 

 

“We don’t know all the details but it seems that something happened between Penelope and Morgan. We don’t want to pry for the intimate details but from the accusations, he went to see her one night after he had a fight with the wife. The two got drunk and went too far. The problem is Penelope got more than a one night stand out of it and Morgan doesn’t want his wife to know about it.”

 

“You mean she’s pregnant?” That was unexpected. Not really since the two were really close and there had always been something between them, but Morgan had seemed committed to his family. Having a small baby could be rough on a new couple, but was it enough to make the man cheat? 

 

“Yes, and he kindly asked her to have an abortion at some point. Which made her drink and then call his wife. It was horrible, Spence. He showed up because he could tell that she was drunk and he tried talking to her. She blew up about all he cared about was doing the right thing for his own family, not her. I mean I feel sorry for him, but I can understood why she got so upset. It’s a mess, she’s a mess.”

 

“How is she today?” Spencer waved his hand to indicate that his hair needed to be undone as quickly as possible. 

 

“She’s calm enough to work and Hotch is in there speaking with her. I just wanted to give the heads up so no saying anything that might set her off.”

 

“Thanks for letting me know and I’ll be in as soon as I can.” Spencer hung up and rubbed his jaw. Penelope pregnant for a married man, that was going to cause problems. Why the hell would Morgan mention the A word to someone like her? The woman loved everything cute and adorable, she would never harm an unborn child no matter how it had come about. Penelope was the type to raise a child born from rape without loving the child no less than if it had been conceived by her high school sweetheart. At the same time he understood why Morgan would feel pressured and confused with the announcement. He just started a family with a new wife, that was stressful enough. Sometimes it might be more realistic to terminate a pregnancy when neither parent really wanted it, but the blonde was never one to deal with reality that well. She would want to keep the baby, no matter how it had come about. He wouldn’t take sides, it wasn’t his choice. Whatever Penelope decided he would try to support her and that was all he could do. He was sure that Hotch was telling her the same. Children shouldn’t be punished due to the mistakes of the parents. 

 

“There, you are finished.” Shelby tossed the last plastic band on the tray. “Your scalp may be sore for a few hours but that is normal. Also, use that face wash I gave you last night. A girl shouldn’t go to sleep with her makeup on, it’ll give you pimples.”

 

“I’m not a girl and I got most of it off.” It was just impossible to get all of the damn gunk off of his eyelashes. Who made that shit waterproof? The only thing left of his deception was the pierced holes in each ear. After taking them out he had studied the slightly red lobes in contemplation. For some reason he didn’t want to let them close up. In high school he had debated getting his ears pierced for several years but his mother wouldn’t allow it. Only druggies and boy singers put jewelry in their ears. It was done so why not keep it? “Do you think I could borrow that pair of earrings until I can get my own?” 

 

“I’ll make you a deal.”

 

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The elevator dinged as the doors opened to his floor. Spencer stepped out, glancing at his watch. He was officially thirty minutes later than he had promised to be when he had gotten off of the phone with JJ. They wouldn’t start the meeting without him and it was supposed to be a day off. They were lucky he had answered his phone after the night he had. He adjusted his shoulder bag and rounded the corner that would lead him to the conference room. 

 

It had taken an extra fifteen minutes to agree to the bitch terms that weren’t really agreeable at all. After slipping in the first pair of studs, Shelby had insisted on being allowed to give him another piercing. The freak had wanted to put something in his penis head, but that hadn’t gone over well. Then his ears were up for grabs again and he had calmly explained that the BAU wouldn’t really complain over a single pair as long as it wasn’t gaudy. Having multiple holes wasn’t going to happen on his ears. Shelby had stomped a foot and said a hole or he was going to let it slip that he liked to dress in drag to the boss. Spencer didn’t know the man enough to know if he would go through with the threat and his own threat of being able to get away with murder had been laughed at like a loud fart. In the end he had opted to let the needle go near his stomach but it came with Shelby’s silence. 

 

Telling Hotch the truth might have been the better choice. Spencer smiled at the first person to notice the slight change in his appearance but didn’t say anything. It was a shame that he didn’t have the kind of boss that would freak out over a bit of jewelry so he’d have an excuse to talk himself out of it. He wasn’t sure if the small diamond studs would really bring out his eyes. What he did know was that every time he breathed the damn bar in his stomach was moved and it was sore. His worry over being late was gone as he strolled inside the room to see only Rossi and JJ at the table. “Am I that late?”

 

“No, Hotch is still in a conference with her and Morgan.” JJ poured herself another cup of the coffee. The poor woman had been ready to work but Morgan had shown up to speak to Hotch. The three weren’t raising their voices any longer so that was a good sign. “How was your weekend?”

 

“Eventful, but not as exciting as everyone else’s it seems.” He placed his bag near his feet and leaned back to see if he could see what was happening inside the office. What he was more interested in was seeing Hotch again. He wanted to see how the man would react around him, to reassure himself that nothing was different. 

 

Dave cocked his head to the side to inspect the kid. There was definitely something different about Reid but he wasn’t sure what. Only one of them hadn’t shown for the show and he had planned on giving the good doctor a hard time about not attending. The excuse JJ repeated was that Spencer had been ill. So ill he had gone out and done something extremely foolish. “What did you really do this weekend, kid?”

 

“Huh?” Spencer looked away from the cup being handed to him to look at the older agent. What had he done? Well, he had dressed in drag, crashed the party, and then made out with their boss. “Nothing really?”

 

“Really? Then care to explain your new appearance?” Dave wasn’t having any of it. “First, you don’t show up for the party. Then you come strolling in here with the same expression I wore when I realized I had slept with my third wife’s sister and you’re sporting new holes in your head. Either you’ve started hitting the grass or you got yourself a girlfriend.”

 

“I don’t do drugs,” and he didn’t have a girlfriend. Yet allowing them to believe he had skipped the party to spend the night with a girl was a wonderful idea. 

 

“You got a girlfriend!” JJ shouted and forced the face to turn to look at her. She touched the right ear to make sure they weren’t clipped on. They were pierced, both of them. What would make him do something so un-Reid-like? “Why the earrings? I like it but it seems so, so not you.”

 

“I got them because I wanted to.” What did they know about him? If they knew him then why didn’t any of them suspect that he had a thing for their Unit Chief? How come none had caught onto how much he longed for the man to notice him? “My neighbor is a stylist and he offered to do them for me, so I accepted.”

 

“Well, I like them,” JJ approved. The earrings were a sign that Spencer was coming out of his shell and was trying to find himself. It was a good thing.

 

“Well, I don’t.” Dave wondered how the other two would react to the duds. Garcia would probably offer him some of those dangly ones that would go with his eyes. What would Hotch say about it? They weren’t gaudy and it wasn’t more than one so it wouldn’t violate their dress code. Hell, the kid’s hair was sometimes in direct violation of that. 

 

“Don’t what?” Aaron Hotchner needed a stiff drink as he joined the others in the conference room. Penelope would join them in a moment after washing her face and fixing her makeup. He had handled that the best he could since he couldn’t threaten Morgan with being fired. The man was upset and had come to plead with him to convince Garcia that keeping the baby would be a horrible idea. It had gotten to the point where each was telling him to relay disturbing and nasty messages to the other like they weren’t in the same room. It had been childish, causing him to snap at them both. He got that Morgan was afraid that it would cause his wife to leave him, but he had to back Garcia’s decision. Sleeping around had been the former agent’s first mistake, the second had been asking for that kind of a sacrifice. Even done under duress, it wasn’t right and he was sure that soon enough the man would calm down and realize it. 

 

With luck getting back on a case would take his mind off other things. He wasn’t sure how much more he could handle on his plate. The entire Garcia/Morgan affair was beyond his control and he could only hope that the two could come to terms with the pregnancy. There was also the number Beth had thrown at him this morning. He had been shocked that she had remained the night but she had and had pounced the moment he had come down the stairs. Which had been fine with him because he had meant to ask if she knew the name of the man that he had been denied spending the night with. She had asked if his company had left already, which confused him. He knew that she was referring to the person he had been seen spending time with but why refer to him as company? Calmly he had stated that he had spent the night alone. Beth had floored him by saying ‘When did your lady friend leave?’ If he had been a friend of Beth’s then she should have known that it was really a male dressed up. His admitting that he hadn’t spent the night with another woman had been some kind of sign for her to ask if they could have dinner together. Dinner together so they could discuss their relationship. They didn’t have a relationship so he had to ask about her date. What about the young man that had been at her side all evening? 

 

That was when something strange had made him question her sanity, and his own. She laughed and claimed that the young man hadn’t been her date but a friend. A friend from New York that had actually jumped at the chance to meet the infamous Dr. Reid. It had turned his stomach to hear her gush how the young man has been dying to meet his friend for over two years now but she finally convinced him to go for it. ‘Go For It’, that wasn’t a phrase someone used when discussing a person they merely respected. It had sounded like she was trying to introduce the two for other reasons. He had shrugged and said Reid hadn’t shown for the party, so there would be no match making. She had laughed the comment off and pushed for an invitation to dinner when he had some time. 

 

Why should he concern himself with the love life of his team? Penelope was an independent woman that could handle her own affairs and it was none of his business who wanted to meet Reid. He needed to focus on his own life and what he wanted. What he wanted was to know who had spent a good portion of the evening with him. JJ hadn’t known her/him, neither had Rossi, which left him without a name for now. He wasn’t even sure why he felt the need to find out. Besides the fact that the guy’s kiss had effected so strongly, what reason did he have? 

 

Liking someone’s eyes wasn’t a reason to base a pursuit on. Nor was liking the taste of their mouth, or the little noises that he made while reaching an orgasm, and he couldn’t discount how perfect the person had felt cradled beneath him. If the male hadn’t fled, Hotch knew he would have gone against all logic and tried to sleep with a stranger. The problem was that the person hadn’t felt like a stranger to him. For a few hours he had felt connected to another person for simply no reason at all. Maybe there was such a thing as fate and his one had managed to find him after all this time. He just wanted to know who it was so he could decide what to do. 

 

“We were discussing the kid’s new look,” Dave leaned back in the chair, waiting for the moment his opinion would be seconded. 

 

A new look? Aaron let his eyes swing to the silent doctor sitting across the table. What was new about it? It was the same Spencer that had sat there last week and the one before that. Okay, those were new. The diamonds drew his attention to the pierced ears that was very recent. The attachments made the soft face appear more feminine but it suited him. “I like it.”

 

“Thank you,” Spencer hated that the approval did things to his insides. Hotch was only saying that he didn’t mind the fact that he had gotten it done. 

 

“Just don’t overdo it,” the reminder was thrown out. Aaron took a seat at the table, “Don’t need any more complaints towards my team.”

 

“Okay,” Spencer wouldn’t do anything that would get the man fussed at by those higher up. “I promise if I get anything else pierced it’ll be beneath the clothes.”

 

JJ couldn’t prevent the smile hearing the Italian start to choke on coffee. The boss had been in the process of reaching for a file but halted with mouth wide open. That had been priceless and the laughter erupted seconds before they were joined by the missing blonde. 

 

“If someone knows something funny, please share.” Penelope bustled into the room with all the bravado she could muster. 

 

“I’m getting my nipples pierced. How are you today?” Spencer reached for his cup and gave his version of a perky smile. 

 

“Awesome and don’t get the chains, they can get stuck on your clothes, and from what I hear can be very uncomfortable. Go with the belly button, the jewelry is cuter.” Penelope was glad to see that each already had their tablets on standby. “Oh my, you got your ears pierced. They look good on you, Hun.”

 

“Don’t encourage him” Dave scoffed at the cocky expression. Young people these days, “I’m almost afraid to meet this new girlfriend.”

 

Girlfriend? Aaron waited for the denial but the only response was a shrug from the doctor. When did this happen? How long and how serious? It was odd enough that the former best friends had gotten around to fucking but now Reid had a girlfriend that had been able to convince him to alter his appearance. It was a great change but he wasn’t sure if he liked that it had been done for someone else. Reid was fine how he was and didn’t need to change to please anyone. “Garcia, will you begin?”

 

“Right,” she clicked the remote to bring up the first picture. “This is Adam Weizenberg, I think I pronounced it right. He went missing three days ago and his body was found last night. The next one is James Whelks, he went missing two weeks ago, and his body was found three days later. The last two are twins, their names are Amanda and Alice James, and their bodies were found two months ago. We don’t have an actual date of when they went missing because it wasn’t reported.”

 

“All from different states but all four bodies were found on the same stretch of beach.” Aaron cracked his neck to get the crink out. “Each one had the distinct markings carved into their stomachs.” 

 

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“Thank you for coming by,” Beth scooted closer on the bed. Things weren’t going as planned but she wasn’t ready to give up. The job wasn’t going as well as she’d like and the offer to return to her old position was tempting. Coming back would give them another chance, which she realized she wanted. 

 

“No problem, I still consider you a friend.” Aaron would never alienate her because things hadn’t worked out between them. She was a wonderful woman and he still cared about her. Else he would be feeling awful about the position they were currently in. After a few drinks, she had invited him into the room. Climbing in the bed had been like putting on an old, comfortable shoe and it had been just as exciting. “What did you want to talk about?”

 

“I got offered my old position back, it is mine if I want.” She hoped he was as happy about it as she was. Leaving hadn’t made her happy and she missed him. This time they could do things differently, “Things aren’t going so well and I must admit coming back has a lot of appeal.”

 

“You have to do what is right for you. If you think coming back is what you need then you should do it.” He didn’t want to be rude and pull away in case she was seeking support from a friend. A friend that she had just had sex with twice. The first night had left him confused but sated, the second had just left him disappointed. 

 

“I want to do what is right for us,” Beth put a hand on his chest. “Do you think we could make it happen?”

 

A few months ago he might have considered the possibility. The fingers stroking the spot around his nipple didn’t stir him like it should, he found it to be tedious. What should he say? Should he go with his gut and say no? Should he turn her down in the hopes that he could find his mystery person? “I have to be honest, I don’t know.”

 

“Does your hesitation have anything to do with your company at the party?” Beth had noticed the two of them together and had asked around to the identity of the female. No one knew who she was and she was assuming that he had invited her. She wasn’t the only one to notice that Aaron had acted sullen until the unknown female had arrived. 

 

“Yes and no, even if someone else wasn’t in the picture, I am still hesitant about trying again. There is also Jack to consider,” He didn’t want to rush into anything. “I need time to figure out what I want and I hope you understand.” 

 

“I do,” She would give him time, she still had to complete her contract. By no means did the last two nights guarantee a future for them. “Want me walk you to the door, it is getting late.”

 

“I’m sorry I can’t give you an answer, it isn’t fair to you.” He felt bad about asking her to wait for him to decide but saying yes would be a mistake. He wasn’t sure if he shouldn’t just go ahead and tell her that it wasn’t going to be possible. Her touch did close to nothing for him and it was further confirmed when the painted lips landed on the corner of his mouth. He slipped off of the mattress to search for his pants. Was it a sign that he had no desire to remain after sex? When had he lost the need to be close to his lover? From the disappointed look on her face, she had noticed it too. “I’ll be in touch.”

 

Not in the way she wanted though. The honest thing would be to tell her that he couldn’t do it because he had enjoyed kissing a very beautiful man. One he was going to find very soon. His thoughts strayed to the person that had ran out on him as he walked away from the hotel room. For an entire hour after finding the room empty, Aaron had sat on the edge of the bed contemplating on the benefits of trying to locate the person that had made him feel like a randy teenager again. The idea of questioning the host had been dismissed because he didn’t want Dave to realize that he was searching for a male. Or that he had been testing out his sexuality in the man’s home. 

 

After realizing that he did want to see him again, he had looked around in the hopes that something had been left behind. Nothing, not a stitch of clothing, or something to hint at a name, and he had almost given up. After standing he had given the room one last glance to notice what should have been obvious from the start. The Kleenex on the stand, he had no idea if it had been a new box or not, but what were the odds that his company may have cleaned up a bit before departing? Walking towards the trash he had found some. The only problem was that Rossi didn’t have a maid and the can had been half filled with trash. All together he had lifted close to twenty used Kleenex from the bin. Any of them could belong to the one he sought. 

 

He reached inside to retrieve his cell and searched for the number that he needed. The call was answered on the third ring, “Thomas, this is S.S.A. Aaron Hotchner, we met a few months ago. I need that favor you owe me. Yes, I have some samples, I’d like for you to run for me. No, it is personal and completely off the record. Thanks, I’ll have it to you by morning.”

 

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Please let me know what you think.


	4. Who Are You?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Another chapter. After this one it will be some time before I can update again, Most likely weeks due to new job. I hope this chapter adds a bit of explanation into the entire Garcia/Morgan plot addition. Didn't want her to come off as someone that would not give a shit and get plastered knowing she was knocked up. I love her character, she's unique. I will admit that it does annoy me how they did the entire relationship between her and Morgan. All that flirting and closeness, and nothing. Yet, they stuck him with someone else. Sure, she would have been considered pretty by most but I didn't care for her character. My issue with her is like my issue with CSI: Miami. Already told my mom I'm going to move there because according to that show fat people don't ever get killed or commit murder. There isn't even any fat people in the city, so which means there is an instant weight loss invisible line as you cross the city limits. Like three times you saw a guest star or extra that was slightly pudgy. I totally disliked that they didn't stick Penelope with Morgan but put him with someone unrealistic. A surgeon that wears tons of makeup during surgery and doesn't sweat, comes out looking fresh off a magazine. Yet when Pen got shot, she looked like shit in the hospital. Sorry, a surgeon does NOT wear makeup like that because they sweat under the lights, that shit would run, sting their eyes and they be cutting something they shouldn't. Guess I'm saying is that it seems like cause he was seen as hot and hunky, they had to put him with someone that is seen as hot and sexy. If they wanted to do that then they should have made her a model or dancer, not a doctor. (I'm sure some doctors are attractive, not saying they can't be, but they dont go into work with that much makeup on, not even if they don't want her face to shine under the lights, that was way overboard) Just my opinion though, no one has to agree.
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> Back to the fic, things will take an interesting turn soon, bear with me.

Disclaimer: Don't own it

 

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Chapter Four

 

The click, click of his pen echoed in the office that felt like a tomb. It was still too early for his team to be in, it was only a little after seven in the morning. He had arrived himself at six to go over a few cases that needed their attention to find an envelope addressed to him placed under the door. The lab results had come in and had been rushed over as he had asked, his personal favor had gotten him the names he wanted. 

 

There had been thirteen samples in all, eight he had gotten hits off. Five weren’t in the system so he had to hope that the one he sought was. Three weeks of waiting to get the files and he wasn’t sure he wanted to look at them. Opening the envelope would be the start, signaling his commitment in searching. If he opened it, it meant that he saw no hope for his relationship with Beth. Inside may be the man he could pursue, was it what he wanted? Was it something the missing male wanted? By running did that mean the stranger didn’t want to be found? Perhaps there was a reason the man had left in such a hasty manner. It was possible neither of them had been expecting to meet someone. He could understand if the stranger hadn’t wanted him to discover who he was. 

 

It disappointed him that he hadn’t gotten a name but that could change. He could find him without letting onto the fact that he knew and take it from there. Whatever the reason the guy had ran, it didn’t matter. What mattered was how he had felt when they kissed. He wanted to take Rossi’s advice and take a chance on someone. It was time to open the envelope and do some profiling. 

 

The first page was a female, that left seven possible. The next was a man, aged fifty-seven, that was another NO, because the smooth skin had belonged to someone in their twenties, no later than thirties. Six left, make that five, because another was female. The next was a young male, early twenties so it was put aside for later. Another female. The next two were males; one thirty-seven and the other eighteen. Aaron prayed that he hadn’t been making out with someone barely out of high school, that would put an end to everything. Three possible in the pile so far and he picked up the last page. 

 

The name had an alert in red, Thomas had to open up a classified file for the match. A government employee, one he knew too well. How had Reid’s sample gotten mixed in? He was positive that the doctor hadn’t shown up for the party. There were two ways it had gotten there; Reid had used the room on a previous date. The other gave him reason to pause; it was because Reid had been there at some point but why lie about having shown?

 

The obvious answer turned his stomach. Instead of starting with the other possible, he concentrated on comparing the stranger to the doctor that would be in the office in less than an hour. The reason for being there could put Reid at the party, and it didn’t look well that he hadn’t shown. The height was right, both were approximately an inch shorter than his own. The hair? Being a man the only explanation had to be a wig. The voice, he couldn’t say for sure, Reid could have easily toned it down or disguised it. The only things he could really use to annihilate the genius were the three things that had caught his attention. Staring at the doctor’s ass wouldn’t be wise, not while in the office. The eyes and the mouth, the moment of recognition he had felt. Pretty, as often as Morgan had playfully called him, so Reid being the one was very likely.

 

That left the reason as to why he had dressed up as a female to attend the party. It could have been done in jest or for the fun of confusing everyone. It being the doctor explained why the stranger had ran the moment he had left him alone. Any of these other males wouldn’t have had a reason to flee from him. The fact that they were both males had already been exposed so why avoid another confrontation? 

 

Thinking of the doctor conjured him. Today was an off day, they didn’t have a case at the moment. Cruz was going over a possible, trying to get an invite from the local authorities but most of the team would come in to take care of paperwork. He stepped away from his desk to look out of the glass. Reid was getting comfortable at the desk unaware of his observation. Aaron tried to imagine the face surrounded by brunette strands, adorned with makeup, and just the lips and eyes showing. In all their years he had never allowed himself to simply stare into the other man’s eyes, it wasn’t professional. The mouth, he could imagine it from here. Full lips, a beautiful pair of kissable lips that didn’t belong on a male. 

 

Could he be one-hundred percent sure that it had been Reid? It might all be a coincidence and he was projecting who he would like for it to be into the profile. Maybe it didn’t matter if it was or wasn’t. If it was Reid, he understood why the genius hadn’t remained behind for the outcome. Most likely the other male was worried about how he would react if he were to discover the truth. He wasn’t angry, he had been the one to start everything. 

 

Aaron watched the subtle movements that were graceful. He could spot the many reasons why he would want the stranger to be the good doctor. What were the odds that it had been someone he had known for over twelve years to kiss him like that? There was only one way to be certain and,that would be to ask. Or he could kiss him. He could always see how Reid would react if he were to ask him out. Yet the most sensible thing to do would be to annihilate the other potential names before assuming that it was someone he worked close with almost every day.

 

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Just one more report and he’d be finished for the day. Spencer gave a soft smile at the blonde watching him. JJ had tried multiple times to get him to talk in the last few weeks. Was his behavior that notable? It was damn near impossible to sit next to their Unit Chief without his loathsome memory stirring at the sound of Hotch’s voice. Seven times during the last case he had caught himself staring at the man’s mouth. 

 

“I’ll be going,” JJ wanted to hang around but it was her day to pick up Henry. 

 

“Have a good night, JJ.” He didn’t want to give her a reason to hang around and watched her walk towards the elevator. Rossi had left an hour ago to make it on time to a dinner date. As soon as he was done, he was going to head home. In the last eight hours Hotch had exited his office three times. Each time Spencer had pretended to be immersed in his work. Glancing over his shoulder he could see the dark head bent over with the phone attached to his face. It really was time to leave and he was simply putting it off on the hopes of seeing the man one more time. 

 

“Hey, Spence?” Penelope waved drastically at him to get his attention. She had managed to catch him before leaving. Everyone else was gone for the evening and she really didn’t want to be alone tonight. A small smile remained watching him scoop up the books that had been on his desk and shove them into the shoulder bag. Pink heeled shoes stopped a foot from his desk, “Hey, listen, I really need someone to talk to, and I don’t really want to head out alone. Do you think you could escort me home?”

 

“Sure,” It wouldn’t be too much trouble to go with her. Glancing back towards the office was a pathetic gesture, but one he couldn’t prevent. The smile dropped seeing that the blonde wasn’t the only one distraught about something this evening. Anyone who knew Hotch would be able to take one look to see that he was yelling at whoever was on the other end of that call. 

 

“Wow, and he says I have a temper.” Penelope cringed even if she couldn’t hear the thud of the fist striking the desk. She really, really, really prayed that it wasn’t a case because she was exhausted and she wanted to go home. “I hope it isn’t a case.”

 

“Doubtful, he’s been on the call for two hours, twenty-four minutes, and ten seconds, which indicates that the call is of a personal nature.” He tossed the drink can into the trash, ready to leave. 

 

“Since when do you start timing Hotch’s calls?” Penelope wanted to get out of there before the storm came breezing through the office. Anyone foolish enough to hang around might feel the backlash of that rage. She was already on the boss’ shit list, she didn’t want to give him the opportunity to make her feel worse. 

 

“I…I haven’t, I’ve been waiting to ask him something but he’s been on the phone.” Since he had begun obsessing over that damn kiss. Spencer sighed after placing a hand on the lower half of Penelope’s back, wanting to steer them both away before he did something incredibly stupid. “Have you eaten yet?”

 

“Actually no, do you want to try that new place down from the market? I hear their buffet is so good you can orgasm,” Comfort food is what she needed right now. 

 

“Sounds good,” Spencer got them to the elevator and hit the down button. They weren’t dressed to go someplace classy and he was trying to save money. Buffet was better since he wasn’t really sure what he was in the mood for. As long as he didn’t have to use chopsticks, he was up for it. “After you.”

 

“Why thank you,” she stepped inside and slipped an arm through his. Why couldn’t she have made this kind of mistake with someone like Reid? 

 

“You’re welcome,” and that was creepy. He didn’t mind the slight touching but he almost jerked away when she placed her forehead near his shoulder. It wasn’t exactly annoying, just unwanted. She probably wanted someone to talk to that wouldn’t give a biased opinion or censor things. It had to be tough, going through a pregnancy alone. “Do you want to walk it?”

 

“Sounds great, doctor says I need more exercise.” The double doors opened with a ding. Nothing else was said as they stepped out into the evening air. “Thanks for coming with me, I didn’t want to ask JJ.”

 

“Why not? I’d think if you needed someone to talk to about this whole pregnancy thing, she’d be the best candidate.” Spencer could only give facts, not speak from personal experience. Unless she was actually in love with Morgan, then they could share what it was like to want someone you work with and that was completely unattainable.

 

“You didn’t come to the party, so you didn’t get to witness my fall from grace.” She still felt horrible about what she’d done, all of it.

 

He had been at the party but he had missed out on the action. It wasn’t his place to pry, “No, I didn’t get to see your altercation with Morgan. I still think she’d be better if you need someone to talk to.”

 

“No, as much as I love JJ, she wouldn’t understand.”

 

“Why?” Another woman would definitely be better than him. Spencer could see the blinking lights of the market not far away. His stomach was pinching from lack of food and it didn’t care for the slow pace in which they were strolling. 

 

“Because she has the perfect husband, one that sucks her toes during sex, and you’re just like me.” She fell in step as the light turned, “Single, lonely, and in love with someone we can’t have.”

 

“Please tell me you aren’t about to confess feeling for Morgan,” That would be too weird and that was a topic he couldn’t handle. “Wait, I’ll admit I’m single and I do get lonely sometimes, but I don’t recall ever telling you that I was in love with someone. I definitely never admitted to having feelings for someone that I thought wasn’t obtainable.”

 

“HA! So you are!” The next sentence was said through pinched lips, “And no, I’m not in love with him. I got a thing for someone else.”

 

“Then why did you boink someone else, Morgan of all people?” Spencer didn’t really want to know the details but it directed the conversation safely away from the part where he’d just got caught into semi-admitting to having feelings for someone. 

 

“We didn’t boink, it was more like four minutes of ‘OH MY GOD, THIS IS IT’.” She took a deep breath before explaining how she had ended up in the family way. “See there is someone that I’ve recently discovered that I had feelings for and I’m really stressed about it. That night I was drowning my sorrows in a tub of Ben & Jerry’s and Morgan came over. He had been drinking and he was really upset because they had gotten into a fight. With work and the baby, he wasn’t hardly getting any of ‘that’ time with her. One thing led to another and he kissed me. By then I already had my sixth glass of wine and for a moment I just wanted to be desired by someone that cared about me. Worst five minutes of my life, I regretted it immediately and he fell asleep as soon as it was over.”

 

“So you really did have a drunken one night stand? What were you thinking?” Spencer calmly tried to understand why she would do it. Morgan had a nice body but the man had never really done anything for him. Someone as smart as Penelope Garcia should know better. Morgan was a great guy but the man obviously had a type when it came to the women he was with. 

 

“I wasn’t, complete mind fart that night. It was over, we swore not to discuss it. A couple days before that party I missed my period and I freaked. I hadn’t gone to the doctor but I knew, I’m always like clockwork and wham, it’s a no-show. I told him what I feared and he totally flaked out on me. It seems after our quick three minutes of loving he realized how much she meant to him and doesn’t want this to destroy his family.”

 

“So that is why you got drunk and became Sasha Banks?” They hurried across the street before the traffic let loose. He sighed seeing the shocked expression, “No, I saw it on the magazine JJ was looking at yesterday. She made sure to point out the pink-haired professional wrestler that Will was insisting they get tickets to go see.”

 

“I knew that, and I didn’t go postal. Okay, maybe I did a little bit. You got to understand my position as to why I did that.” They were almost to the restaurant and she had to tell someone, so someone would understand her pain. “There I was, standing at the table, I could see the man I’ve been longing for in a group full of admirers, and he has no idea that I could give him something none of them could. Some cheesy asshole in a knockoff suit tried flirting and handed me a drink, so I started sipping, telling myself one little drink wouldn’t hurt and I really needed it. Then I started watching ‘him’ flirt. The cold, harsh reality of what will never be started to come crashing down around me, so I got another drink. As I sipped, I started thinking of the pregnancy, and before I knew it there were seven empty cups in front of me and I was feeling really good.”

 

“Until Morgan showed,” Spencer reminded her. Now he felt horrible about not stopping to talk to the hacker first before rushing to Hotch’s side. The night probably would have played out differently if he had. 

 

“Exactly, he came to talk to me and I flipped. He is so damn happy with his wife and family, I’m there alone and miserable. I shouldn’t have drank that much and it won’t happen again, but I’m going to keep this baby.” 

 

“So, who is he?” Who was the man that she was too afraid to approach? He couldn’t imagine her not being able to talk to anyone. 

 

“Rossi,” the couple behind them snapped at being held up. Penelope waited for the outburst or the laughter that came with the name. “Please, please, don’t lecture me. I already feel horrible and I don’t need you telling me that I should set my sights elsewhere.”

 

“I see the appeal,” Spencer wasn’t going to say anything about her choice. Instead, he directed her towards the open doorway of the restaurant. He held the next door open to allow two elderly women to exit and her to step inside. “He’s handsome, intelligent, and rich.”

 

“No, he isn’t, I mean he is all those things but that isn’t why I like him.” She rambled as he told the host how many. They were shown to a booth in the back section, “I’ll take water, please.”

 

“And I’ll take some coffee. I can hear your stomach, go get you something and I’ll wait until you get back.” Spencer took both of their bags and placed it on his side. He took a seat on the new leather and reached for the container of condiments. Looking around he made note of the many people in the establishment. He didn’t recognize anyone and no one was paying attention to their arrival. The décor was mainly a western theme with pictures of the old west painted on the walls. Was that a real picture of Wyatt Earp or a copy? The food smelt wonderful and his company was coming back with a loaded plate. 

 

“There is so much to choose from,” she plopped down as he stood. “They have a carving station, you should check it out.”

 

“I will,” he left her shoving a piece of baked apple in her mouth. The bars were heavily occupied by people wanting to sample what was on the menu. He grabbed a plate from the closest rack next to the carving station. There was a young girl behind the assortment of meat waiting for someone to indicate what they’d like. There was steak, ham, roast beef, and turkey. “Hi, I’ll take some roast beef and just a small slice of turkey.” 

 

The meat was deposited onto his plate without being spoken to. After collecting an assortment of vegetables he rejoined Penelope at the table. He paused after spreading out his napkin, “Are you eating meat?”

 

“I know, it’s just turkey. I’ve been craving it but I’m pretty sure it is too early for cravings.” She had woken up this morning with the desire to eat some kind of white meat. Red meat was still off of her diet but this wouldn’t really hurt and she would be needing the protein. 

 

“So seeing Rossi with Hayden had nothing to do with you drinking?” Spencer liked the older woman. She was very sweet and had a wonderful sense of humor, but he didn’t see the relationship lasting. Even after meeting all of them, the woman was still having trouble adjusting to the demands of the job. She had attended the party but there was something missing when they were together. He wasn’t an expert but if she was having issues this early after getting back together, he didn’t see it lasting, despite what Rossi might want. 

 

“Don’t mention that, it makes me feel like such a bitch.” Penelope stabbed a pear, “I hate it. She’s so amazing and he is so happy, why can’t I be happy for them?”

 

“Cause what you’re really craving is Italian sausage?” Spencer winced at the kick to his shin. He bruised easily and he wasn’t allowed to kick her back. 

 

“Okay, I confessed so it is your turn. I’m not going to be the only one to spill their guts.” She wanted to feel like they were sharing. They could wallow together, “What is up with the different look and who is it? Don’t you dare say you can’t tell me! I just admitted to having a thing for a coworker and I’m pregnant for a former one, so whatever you will say won’t shock me.”

 

“I dressed up as a girl and made out with Hotch,” Liar. Spencer rushed out of his seat to lightly pat her on the back. That could have gone a lot better. People were starting to stare as she hacked up a carrot, “Here, spit it in this napkin.”

 

“Thanks,” she was sure she had heard wrong. “Did you just say you made out with Hotch?”

 

“Shhhh, and that is what I said.” He retook his seat across the way and leaned in so they wouldn’t have to shout over the noise. “I did show at the party, I even walked by you, and you didn’t recognize me.”

 

“Really? But I was drinking so you’ll have to be more specific.” She backtracked for a moment, “Wait, the crossdressing put aside, why would you make out with Hotch?”

 

“What reason do you want? He’s good looking, brilliant, and I like him.” He reached for the salt to add some flavor to the broiled potatoes. 

 

“And he’s hung,” Penelope flushed at the glare. “Wow, you really do like him.”

 

“Don’t change the subject. How the hell would you know?” He’d push her in front of a bus if she admitted to having a one-night stand with their boss. 

 

“Oh, don’t worry, I don’t know personally.” She held up a hand to prevent the clenched fork from being aimed at her throat. “I know from girl talk. Emily kind of told us one day right before she left the BAU. During that case in Chicago, she accidently walked in on him when he was going tinkle. She said she got a pretty good look at it before either of them reacted. Back to the making out, how did that happen?”

 

“The night I went to the carnival with him and the kids, he commented that he would know it was me in a custom even if I wore a bag over my head. It was just a challenge to see if I could dress up and not be instantly recognized. My neighbor is a stylist and gay, like Elton John gay, so I went to him for help. I went dressed as a girl, Hotch didn’t recognize me. I was wearing a blue gown with a ball mask.”

 

“That was you?” That had been Spencer? How? She vaguely recalled seeing the woman arriving. It had made her down another drink seeing someone else that was prettier and skinnier. “I hate you. You’re totally beautiful as a woman and Oh my, he was looking for you.”

 

“Who was?” He added more sugar to the coffee. Who had been searching for him?

 

“Hotch, the next morning. He asked several of us if we knew your name. What happened?” This was good, much better than her pregnancy drama or her Italian fetish. 

 

“I meant to tell him who I was after making sure he didn’t recognize me but we went for a walk. It was just small talk, nothing that would give away who I was. Before I knew it we were heading inside and upstairs to be alone. I trusted him and I didn’t think anything would happen.” How could he have known that they’d end up getting better acquainted on a physical level?

 

“But it did. How far did it get?”

 

“Not that far, but enough that he realized that I wasn’t what I seemed.” A part of him was disappointed that he hadn’t gotten that far but it hadn’t been possible. 

 

“You mean Hotch realized that you weren’t a girl? Did he get upset?” She didn’t think he was homophobic but how well did they really know him? They hadn’t known that his marriage with Haley was in that much trouble until they were already divorced. “He actually noticed your thing?”

 

“My penis, which was hard. You’re pregnant and you’re going to be shy about saying the word penis? You can call it a cock if that makes it easier.” He placed his fork down lest he stab himself to end the humiliation. “Seeing as we were grinding against each other like teenagers, he is aware of the fact that he made out with another guy. He just doesn’t know that it was me. Thankfully for me, you decided to attack your baby daddy, and JJ came to fetch Hotch before I had to remove my mask.”

 

“That is so romantic,” she cooed at the frowning genius. It was something of fairytales, “You must have done something right if he was asking about you the next morning.”

 

“No, more like he is the type of person who wants to know who he made out with. It’s been weeks and I’m sure he has already put it out of his mind. Hotch isn’t some blushing virgin who is going to be enamored with some stranger he made out with during a party. You do realize who we are talking about? He did attend college before he got married to Haley, and it is Hotch.”

 

“I know, he’s sexy as hell, and has probably had more pussy than a tomcat.” Penelope waited for the waitress to refill his coffee. “Give the man some credit, he isn’t like that. If he was searching for a name then he was searching for you.”

 

“He thought he was looking for a stranger that he enjoyed spending an evening with.” Spencer didn’t want to burst her girly fantasy bubble but there was nothing there. “If he knew it was me, it would end there. I’ve been on the team for over a decade and I’m nothing more than a friend. He doesn’t have the slightest romantic interest in me and that isn’t going to change because I wore a mask.”

 

“Oh hun,” she reached out to grab ahold of the long fingers. “You know what I think we should do? After dinner we should stop by the store and get some Ben & Jerry’s. We can order some videos and have us a sleepover.”

 

“Alright, but I’m not having sex with you.” He chuckled around the disappointment that lingered. Admitting the truth aloud to someone else concreted it. Hotch wasn’t interested in him and nothing was going to change that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please review...   
> I'm not sure if I'll go into the entire Garcia/Rossi side pairing, or if I'll let anything come of it. I just think any sane woman would find Rossi to be hot for an older guy.


	5. A New Case

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Next chapter for everyone, sorry for the wait. No, we aren't there yet. 
> 
>  
> 
> Disclaimer: Don't own it....

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Chapter Five

 

They were really cozy. Aaron put more of his weight on his left shoulder to get comfortable in the open doorway. To a passerby he most likely appeared to be watching the floor, which he was. His gaze had gone to the empty desk to find the object of his search not far away at Morgan’s old one. The slender doctor was sitting on the edge of the surface but he wasn’t alone. The blonde woman was laughing loud for it to echo in the large space. Whatever Reid had said had her giggling and turning red. What was in her hand?

 

Some kind of pastry was being lifted towards the dodging head. A moment later the bobbing hair stopped and she was feeding him. Garcia was feeding Reid and the genius wasn’t protesting or shying away from it. This was the third time in as little as two weeks where he’d caught the two in some kind of moment. Three nights ago he had been behind the pair as they left for home. An arm had been placed around the woman’s shoulders as they boarded the elevator. He had slowed his step and let them go down without him. 

 

“Rather cozy, aren’t they?” Dave came out of his office and walked over to the glaring male. The office really wasn’t the place for that kind of thing but he wasn’t the boss. It would seem off, if not for JJ deciding to join in on the fun of feeding the too thin profiler. Must be nice to be young and not have many worries. Scratch that, one of them did have a lot on her plate. “Are they?”

 

“No,” they weren’t dating because he said they weren’t, that was rich. Aaron had no idea what they were doing. They could do what they wanted and he wouldn’t begrudge either of them. Just because he was finding himself wishing more and more every day that the stranger was the pretty boy being fed pastries by a beautiful woman. He’d already gone on a date with one of the potential matches and it had been horrible. The man hadn’t been anything like the person he had spent the evening with. Being cute was all the date had going for him. The voice was too deep, the body too manly, and the man had no lips. As soon as he’d shown up in person, Aaron had known. 

 

After a bit of research on the other two, he was drawing a blank. One had dressed as batman to the party and the other was engaged to a female model. The list was gone, if he didn’t count Reid’s sample being in the list. All morning he had thought about it being possible, now he was convinced it didn’t matter. Reid could have deposited a tissue after blowing his nose at any time since Dave had admitted that the person that did clean his house did the spare rooms once a mouth. There was no way of knowing how long those few pieces of trash had remained in that can. There was also no way for him to know for sure if the stranger had taken the time to clean up. Add in the chance that he could have gone to the bathroom to do the deed, the possibility of finding said person was very slim. It had been a long shot and it was either confront Reid or let it go. If it wasn’t the doctor then he would look like a desperate ass. 

 

“Get everyone together, we have a case.” Sort of, Cruz wanted the team to go over the files to see if there was a connection to any of the victims so they would have a reason to go in. He stepped inside the office to pick up what they would need. The last twenty four hours he’d spent getting the case together since the town was still completely old school. They had nothing on the computer and it was a pain in his ass. The last thing he wanted to do was to go tracking through some back-ass end town that didn’t want them there. He didn’t want to keep replaying that scene in his head either. It meant nothing, the two were just close. 

 

All were in the room with their game faces on by the time he stormed inside with his arms loaded down with the files. Things would be so much easier once he got more help. Lewis was considering returning fulltime and Cruz was working on bringing someone in. He cleared his throat and began passing the files out. “Alright team, we have exactly twenty-four hours to find our way into the case before the last crime scene is no longer viable.”

 

“Sir, I could have done this.” Penelope took what she’d been given in dismay. This was her job, had she done something to displease him? 

 

“I know you could have but this isn’t an official case, yet. Yesterday morning Cruz handed me my file and told me to go over it. If I thought there was something then to see that my team got it. You were busy at your doctor’s appointment and I had the time. Don’t worry, you will be spending the next few hours getting everything digital and into the system. Before you ask there is nothing to work with, this town does everything old school. Those in charge love paper.” Aaron took a seat and loosened his tie. “And they refuse to update.”

 

“Because they don’t have electricity, Hotch,” Spencer had already read the briefing report as the others were opening their files. 

 

“Exactly,” Which made it a pain in the ass for him. He wanted them to understand what they were getting into. “The town was completely converted into an Amish community forty-seven years ago. They keep up with the government regulations but due to their beliefs they do get by without being more modernized.”

 

“This is going to suck,” JJ did not want to go to a community that didn’t believe in having a cell phone. 

 

“That is if we can legitimize our reason for interfering. As you all probably suspect it is a tight community and they believe in taking care of their own. However, three days ago the body of a young lady was accidently discovered. She should have been a victim with answers but the trucker says she came running out too fast to prevent the impact.” Aaron let them all take in the first few photos. “The coroner has confirmed that most of the wounds were done prior to being hit. The accident occurred only two miles from one of the farms.”

 

“This wound on her abdomen had to be done minutes prior to being hit. A wound like that she wouldn’t have made it far without bleeding out.” Spencer wondered if the girl had realized that even if she had been picked up, she would have died long before help would have arrived. 

 

“You are right but the driver was pretty shaken by it. His story was that the highway he normally travels was blocked off due to a sinkhole and he was running behind. He used his gps to plot out an alternate route that wouldn’t have much traffic. Our luck it took him through the only highway in this town. If he hadn’t, this case would have gone unnoticed once more. His accident made the state news because the month prior there had been a search for the missing girl.”

 

“How did you get these files? One murder wouldn’t warrant us prying,” JJ frowned quickly scanning the many autopsy reports and photos. 

 

“Normally but the local authority isn’t too happy and didn’t hesitate. He wants us to come in, but that is strictly off the record. Sheriff Adam Parks married into the community and has been the sheriff for seven years. He has converted to the lifestyle which makes his position in this case very tricky.” Aaron felt for the man that wanted to go with his gut but couldn’t because of the strife it would cause in his home. 

 

Dave sighed, this was going to be a right pain in the ass to investigate. “You mean he is positive that these killing are connected, or most of them, but he can’t ask for outside help because they don’t want outsiders coming in. If he asks for help then that makes him the bad guy and he’s no longer invited to Sunday dinner with the family.”

 

“Exactly, it does help our case that two more bodies were found not far from where she was hit. Both were older and disposed of in different manners but it earned us the right to take a look at the case. As I said we have the unofficial invite but it would be best if we don’t need it. So let’s find what we need.”

 

“Can’t we just tell the Sheriff to man up and make it official?” Penelope asked taking the envelope with the negatives. 

 

“No, we can’t. He believes he’s given us what we need to come in, so that is what we’ll do. The town doesn’t want us in and so he’s in the position to claim that the three deaths aren’t related. Stacey Keener’s death pointed us in the right direction, let’s follow, and see where it leads.” Aaron wanted to get there before the crime scene was useless. 

 

“Hey guys, I think we have multiple serials out there.” Spencer quickly separated the files with attached photos and sorted out the ones that he couldn’t make a connection with yet. 

 

“If we all had that kind of talent no one would ever be murdered in this country,” JJ closed her own. This saved her the trouble of looking at the photos and wracking her brain looking for clues. 

 

“Thank you, but I’m serious.” Spencer tossed the last unneeded file to the side. “This pile is of those that most likely died by a one-time assailant and most of them are pretty old. These three piles however are different; each pile has its own unique signature. If we look at the first pile; the first victim was found eighteen years ago. The sex and age aren’t specific but one thing is, the hours leading up to death. Each victim had a stomach full of contents, sexually assaulted, and then hanged.”

 

“One last meal before being sentenced to death, peachy.” Dave twirled his pen and leaned back. “What about the other two?”

 

“The first death of these were around the same time as well. The middle is rather simple; they were all killed by a single stab wound to the throat. The one on the right is the thickest and hardest to spot. So unique I almost missed it,” Spencer pushed the other two piles in order to place the glossy pictures of the victims out to be seen and waited for them to spot it. 

 

“I’m not seeing it.” JJ reached out to twist a photo of a dead cheerleader that had gotten pissed and ditched her boyfriend mid-drive down the highway, and had ended up dead. “We got a drowning, a beheading, strangulation, death by anal hemorrhaging, and even by a gunshot wound to the temple. I’m not seeing any connection, all of these victims died in various ways and there is no signature.”

 

“The body itself is the signature,” Aaron didn’t bother opening his own matching files, he moved in closer to partially lean over the waiting doctor. He could have gone around to the other side of JJ, but no one called him out on it. A finger was used to turn one of the photos around to get a better look. “This one was found in a ditch, that one there in a corn field, and the others in some type of natural environment.”

 

“Yeah, but who disposes of a body indoors?” Penelope tried not to smile, it wasn’t the time or the place for it. It was just adorable watching the younger male squirm at how close the other man was. 

 

“I see it,” Dave reached over to snatch one of the files. “She’s clean, too clean. When disposing of a body there are things to take in account. You got the weather, animals, and not to mention how long it might take for the body to be discovered. These pictures though, they had to be taken just shortly after the body was disposed of.”

 

“Meaning that the unsub wanted them to be found in this condition.” Spencer tried not to breathe in too deeply. His stomach was already knotting at the hint of aftershave and the heat he could feel radiating from the man. “That takes a lot of effort. Each body was found not long after death, so this unsub waits until the conditions are perfect before killing them. He knows when the weather will permit them not being affected. That means rain, strong winds, humidity, and the cold. He also has to make sure there won’t be any natural predators to come bother them. All this to ensure that they will also be found immediately indicates that he knows the schedule and routines of every location a body was discovered.”

 

“Wow, that is kind of scary. Now that you mention it, it is odd. These locations are remote and not one of these has been disturbed at all.” JJ had seen many mutilated corpses that weren’t from the unsub but hungry animals. 

 

“He doesn’t want anything to tarnish his work.” Aaron concluded and placed a hand on the narrow shoulder. “Great work, Reid. What we don’t know is which unsub was responsible for Stacey’s death. There is a chance we are dealing with three locals competing or they could be working alone. Garcia, start with the three stacks Reid has supplied, and go from there. The rest of you, wheels up in thirty.”

 

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“Why didn’t someone mention it was going to be this cold?” JJ gave up on rubbing the feeling back in her arms. There wasn’t any snow but she was positive the reason that old man kept gazing in her direction was because her nipples were trying to escape to a warmer climate. 

 

“I did,” Spencer frowned at the flimsy excuse of a jacket the blonde was wearing. He had quoted the weather conditions as they exited the meeting. No one paid attention to him, it wasn’t his fault that he was the only one to dress properly. They had been put up at the local Inn that was currently abandoned. The town had stopped catering to tourists not long after they had all converted so the building was empty. The sheriff had put them up after Hotch had spoken to him. The community elders had been there to protest to their involvement and their presence. Most had been calm, with questions as to why they were there, only a select few had rose their voice. After having it explained that the tragic death of Stacey Keener had led to the discovery of a possible link to other murders did most nod and let it be. Whether they cared for the intrusion or not, they understood that they couldn’t prevent it. Even now the locals were going about their daily lives, ignoring them. “Here, take my coat, or I’m not going to be able to live with myself.”

 

“Spence,” JJ grumbled as it was stripped off and shoved her way. She was cold but now he was going to be cold. He gave a look that said he wasn’t taking it back so she slipped her arms inside. “Hm, you smell nice.”

 

“Thanks,” he shivered in the breeze. Hearing he smelt nice wouldn’t prevent his balls from digging into his intestines. It was best to keep moving, “The report says she came from this direction. The highway should be on the other side of that patch of trees.” 

 

“I hope Hotch can get something from the family. You have to wonder how she managed to end up here.” Their trek across the field couldn’t be fast enough. “Is he still watching us?”

 

“Yes, he isn’t going to like us on his property.” Spencer didn’t blame him. His gut was telling him that the old man wasn’t the one responsible. The victim had been fleeing and fighting for her life. The cuts on the bottom of her feet indicated she had been running some time, before being hit, across harsh terrain without any shoes on. The unsub had chased her down and finished her off instead of allowing her to escape. “I’m pretty sure that is the head of the family. If she was killed on his farm then he might be worried that we will look at his family for the crime. That or he noticed your nipples.”

 

“Cute,” she closed the coat and playfully slapped at him. “Why did I get stuck with you again?”

 

“Because everyone else was busy.” He was glad that he had been selected to join JJ. For a moment he had feared that Hotch would ask him to tag along to interview the local families. They would have to tread lightly to not piss off the locals. None would want to believe that someone in their family was capable of killing. Some of the victims had gone missing from nearby cities, which meant the unsubs were leaving to get their kills. The people kept a pretty tight schedule, their daily routines rarely changed, so it would make slipping away easier. It was just hard to conceive that a community that didn’t believe in violence could be harboring three unsubs. “You know we may be looking at this entirely wrong.”

 

“How so?” She asked while looking out for anything the previous officers may have missed. The trail of blood was where they said it would be, leading to the highway. She turned to go in the direction the victim would have ran from. 

 

“Perhaps they aren’t from this community at all but live nearby. I’ve been reading up on the culture and it would be fairly easy for someone to learn the routines. They wake up early, do their daily routines and then in bed at a certain time. All an unsub would have to do is study a family’s routine for a few days and then return at night.” He maneuvered around a drop of blood that was turning darker in the sun. “If we go with that logic then we can assume that Stacy is our third unsub’s victim. He would have wanted to make the kill fresh.” 

 

“Maybe,” she squatted at the scene. There was a large pool of blood on a nearby stump, “This is where she was attacked. Okay, so if she was the third unsub’s victim then he would have been wanting to kill her then clean her up. The reports don’t indicate any cleaning materials being used on the body.”

 

“The lack of merely proves my theory. Most cleaning supplies leave a residue, odors, and if not removed completely would contaminate the message he is sending. He doesn’t want his work tarnished by anything, he wants them to represent his sense of being clean. Clean without the use of chemicals,” he stood to look around the area. 

 

“Got something,” JJ held up a thick, generic, light brown sponge. “It’s kind of old but it could be used to clean someone.”

 

“It can,” he withdrew a bag for her to place it inside. The material wouldn’t be useful for any kind of prints but they may not need it. “Let’s get back to the others, I think I figured out what we’re dealing with.”

 

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“I’m just saying if I had to live like this I’d resort to murder also,” Dave stirred his coffee and dared anyone to say a thing about the amount of sugar he was adding. He needed it after the day they had. He got family, but this was ridiculous, no one wanted to talk to them. All day they got the same answers, ‘We got nothing to say.’ How could they conduct an investigation when the community was exercising their right not to say a damn thing? “I hope JJ and the kid managed to find something.”

 

“They should be back soon,” Aaron raised a brow at the fourth pack of sugar being added to the black coffee. They were both stressed out after their time questioning those that didn’t slam the door in their face. One woman had gone as far as to squirt milk on Dave’s shoe while milking a cow. That interview had been ruined before making it to the mother because someone had used a few choice swear words after stepping in feces. “How are your shoes?”

 

“Ruined and my phone is going dead.” How the hell was he to charge his phone overnight? He wasn’t sitting out in the damn car just to charge it. Dave huffed seeing the three stepping inside, “Please, please, tell me you have a name. The boss won’t let me go home.”

 

“That bad, huh?” JJ rushed to the table seeing the pot with steam rising. She didn’t care that it was instant or that she would have to drink it from a paper cup. 

 

“Terrible, we didn’t find out anything,” Dave snatched back the container of sugar packs before it could be confiscated. “Save some for the rest of us.”

 

“I’ll take mine black, I don’t mind.” Spencer wanted something warm in his stomach. His fingers were long since numb and his toes were getting to that point. “Where are you going, Hotch?”

 

To take care of his team that was too irresponsible to it for themselves. Aaron walked over to stash of blankets they had been given to use. He wouldn’t say anything about the missing coat that had found its way to JJ’s small frame. To be safe he grabbed two and carried them back over to the table, “Put this on, and JJ will stay inside to help Dave tomorrow since she didn’t bring a coat.”

 

“Sorry,” JJ felt horrible at taking the clothing. She took the offered blanket after helping Spencer drape the protection over himself. “I can go over the files myself, I’m sure I’ll be fine alone.”

 

“I agree but Dave refuses to go with me. It might help if I have someone that doesn’t look threatening tomorrow,” Aaron took the liberty of fixing the coffee and passing it over. “What did you two find at the scene?”

 

“I think I’ve discovered something about our third unsub,” Spencer waited for the sheriff and community law enforcement to sit, the man was the only one interested in the profile. “I believe he used to be part of the community. At first we were thinking that they all might be but I don’t think they are. In the short amount of time we have been here, everything is as we know of a traditional Amish community. I’m sure the sheriff can vouch for the fact that most of these people keep to their daily routines. If you take that into consideration, when would our unsubs have the time to search for a victim? The work they do isn’t easy and I think their families would notice that they couldn’t do their chores due to being tired. We have one unsub that actually takes the time to prepare the victim a last meal before killing them.”

 

“No way they could do that in a home without being seen.” Dave had stepped inside one of the farm houses and had to admit they had a quaint charm. The families stuck together, an outsider being brought into the home would be noticed eventually. “With that logic they aren’t killing them on any of the farms.”

 

“That would leave outsiders,” Aaron nodded for Reid to continue with what else he had learned. His own mind was still trying to take in the many answers that weren’t really answers. In total they had seventeen deaths to account for. Every authority figure had labeled the bodies to be dumped and unrelated. 

 

“True but, I’m pretty sure that one of them used to be part of the community.” Spencer knew that if he were correct, it would make the investigation tricky. “Our third unsub’s signature dictates that he has an obsession with cleanliness. Not the normal standards for being clean, he doesn’t use bleach, anti-bacterial soaps, or any type of manufactured product. We found a bath sponge in the spot where Stacey Keener was attacked. I’m sure if we ran it through the lab they wouldn’t find anything but skin cells. Hotch, you were correct when you said he doesn’t want anything to tarnish his work. He is killing because he sees his victims as unclean. The bathing ritual is his way of cleansing them.”

 

“What makes you think he used to be part of our community?” The sheriff had to ask before he made any suggestions. 

 

“Because if we go with the theory that the other two are outsiders and dumping their victims, that gives us three unsubs that have always managed to dump the bodies without being seen. That is still putting the odds against their being able to do so every time without being caught. Which means one of them knows how the community works, he has intimate details of the daily lives of the people here. Alan Sores was found exactly one year, five days, and sixteen hours ago. The report was your resident Tobias Fisher began his day with his usual routine of milking the cows, his mother was doing the wash, and the other males were in the field. In the time they started their days and in the time it took for him to take that first bucket inside, someone placed the body beside their well. That is a very narrow window of opportunity. This unsub knew how to get on the property without being seen and how much time he had. The other two unsubs are different because they don’t care how long it takes for the victims to be found, but the fact that they have never been seen by anyone indicates that someone is telling them when and where.”

 

“So it is possible we have three unsubs working together,” Aaron agreed with the profile. “The profile would also suggest the third unsub was not only a member but he wouldn’t have fit in. This man would have had difficulties with the lifestyle, anger issues, and a problem being around others.”

 

“I don’t know anyone like that,” Adam shook his head. “I know being here is confusing for you all, it had to be difficult working on this case. I am the one to deal with any problems. I went to the Academy, I did my training, and as far as the state is concerned I am entitled to this badge. There isn’t any daily crime in my community so I haven’t been ordered to bring in any more man power. These are good people and they overlook that I’m required to carry because they trust that I have given up violence and I have the community’s best interest in mind when I’m required to fulfill my role as sheriff.”

 

“I understand, and none of us are judging how you or anyone else chooses to live. However, if our profile is correct then someone is trying to place blame on your community. Help us find who is responsible because if we are right then one of our unsubs is targeting this place specifically. He is very dangerous with the need to punish and cleanse those he believes are guilty of something. There is a chance the root of his obsession still lives in the community and one day he will get tired of substitutes and go after the one he really wants to punish.”

 

“Okay,” Adam took a deep breath, “You’ll have to talk to the man that was in charge of the department when it was still an actual police station. He would have still been here during the first few murders. The station was the last thing to go and he went with it. He is at Brookside Retirement Home in the next town over. Visiting hours are over for the night but I can show you first thing in the morning.” 

 

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please review for me. Also, I'm not Amish, obviously and I based my info on what I could find. So for this case just imagine a small town that once had a few businesses that no longer do because the few people that use to live in it either moved away or converted. And the one guy that remained in the law enforcement, married into the family and most of the time does not carry. Seeing as the small town has no 'owned vehicles' no need for traffic cops for the town, and with a community that has beliefs against violence, not that many bar fights would break out, so not much need for law enforcement. In case someone is reading that doesn't know much about the community, they don't have electricity, they don't own cars or modern technology. I made sure to look into it after seeing a couple that were Amish getting on the bus on my trip back home. They will ride in a vehicle but NOT own it, or so I'm lead to believe. Just go with my plot and I'll try to keep everything as IN character as I can. TY!


	6. It Was You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Chapter Six finally here. I have read all my comments, and do appreciate the feedback about the Amish Community, I actually find it to be interesting (though I could never live without my computer). But as of this chapter, the information will not be of much use, slight spoiler, yes, but the case will take them elsewhere, so I won't actually be going into further detail about the lifestyle. Please read and be patient until I can update again. Thx!

Disclaimer: Don't own it

 

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Chapter Six

 

“You may use my blanket if you wish,” Aaron glanced up from the paperwork hearing the chatter of teeth. His own hands were starting to get chilled in the night air but he wasn’t finished going over the files. He was wanting to make sure there weren’t any other possibilities. If the profile was right then they were onto one of the unsubs, they still had nothing on the other two. There was a chance that finding one would lead them to the other two. It scared him that the three could work together for so long without one of them breaking away or there being some discord in the ranks. Each had to have their own agenda and they normally didn’t work well with others. If he knew anything, he knew that it didn’t look good for them. This group had a leader, a supporter, and no weak link. The weakest one would always snap and try to leave before this much time had gone by. If they were still together after a decade of killing, all three were dedicated to their cause, and they wouldn’t turn on each other. 

 

“I’m tempted to go make Rossi move over so I can join them,” Spencer shivered and hated that he hadn’t been the one to think of sleeping in the vehicle. Dave had grabbed the keys close to ten and said he was done. JJ had been on his heels shouting that she had dibs on the backseat. An hour ago he had gone out to check on them and they were cozy inside the running vehicle. He had smiled and said he would be fine inside with Hotch. He had let them know which room they were taking for the night. The fire wasn’t enough to keep the room warm. “I can’t imagine how cold the lobby is.”

 

“Freezing, but we’ll manage.” His last trip to collect the rest of their belongings, he had been able to see his breath. Aaron frowned seeing that his offer went ignored. A single mattress had been tossed to the floor near the only source of heat but Reid was cuddled up underneath a single thin blanket. It was foolish to not use it, “Place this one over you as well.”

 

“I can’t, you’ll need it.” He might as well said ‘give it to me’. The blanket was thrown at him, “What are you going to use or do you plan on staying up all night?”

 

“I’ll be joining you,” Aaron rose from his seat and grabbed the edge of the blanket to help spread it out. “We’ll climb under both to stay warm.”

 

“Share?” As in next to each other? The moisture evaporated from his mouth and his tongue felt swollen. The jacket was thrown off and tossed aside, the tie was loosened and placed on the chair. Spencer couldn’t turn away from the undressing. He was in a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt. 

 

“Yes, share,” Aaron stripped down to the cotton t-shirt and boxers before climbing underneath the covers. He took the spot behind Reid, allowing the genius to be closest to the heat. There was only two pillows and they weren’t that good. 

 

Right, share the covers with Hotch. Spencer didn’t dare move or turn. Giving the man his back would have been rude and he was already comfortable on his back. He could deal with this as long as they didn’t resort to sharing body heat. 

 

“We should probably try sharing body heat,” Aaron scooted closer on his side towards the shivering form. He was alright but the temperature would continue to drop. It gave him the perfect excuse to get closer without causing concern. Being this close made him question the possibilities; the right height, the same stature, and so he edged closer. 

 

“Hotch,” that was a little too close. Spencer tried not to panic having the length of his boss pressing up against him. The arm came to rest over his stomach, pulling him in. This was going to cause the wrong kind of heat and he wouldn’t get any sleep. What was going through the man’s mind?

 

“Did you use a wig or extensions?” Aaron’s gut told him he wasn’t imagining it. The bedroom eyes, the full mouth, and the guilt that couldn’t be disguised. His fingers reached to stroke the ends of the ear length strands. In a moment he’d know the truth, either a confession or a denial. 

 

“Weave, actually.” How had he been found out? He searched for any sign of anger or disgust, there was none, only concern. “How did you figure it out?”

 

“You forget what we do? Besides you left the proof in the trash, if you didn’t want me to find out, you should have used the bathroom.” Aaron let it sink in. It was confirmation, he had his answer. It had been Reid and he hadn’t tried to lie to get out of confessing. 

 

Hotch had dug through the trash? Why the hell would the man go so far? Asking for a name was one thing but to run his sample. “Why would you search through the trash to see if I left anything?”

 

“Because you left without saying anything,” Aaron explained. “If you’d have stayed I wouldn’t have had to resort to digging through Dave’s trash. I wanted to know who I had spent the evening with. Care to tell me why you ran out on me?”

 

The conversation he had never wanted to have and he couldn’t run out on it. Hotch wanted answers, there was no putting it off. “I ran because I had just made out with my boss and you had no idea who I was. I didn’t think taking off my mask and shouting ‘Surprise’ would have been the wisest choice of action. I fully expected you to freak out and fire me.”

 

“I’m not going to fire you.” Aaron snuggled closer. It wasn’t the right time to try anything, but he did want to ask a few questions. “Are you displeased that it happened? Is that why you didn’t say anything?”

 

“I didn’t say anything because it was me, Hotch. We’ve worked together how long? I didn’t think you’d be calm if you figured out it was me you made out with.” There was no swearing or being told off but that didn’t mean Hotch was okay with knowing. They would have to continue to work together. “I didn’t want things to change between us because I was dishonest.”

 

“I will take part of the responsibility for what happened between us. I’m the one that took you upstairs and instigated things. I wish you would have been comfortable enough to let me know it was you but I understand why you reacted the way you did. What I don’t understand is why you allowed me to kiss you when you knew who I was.” Aaron lifted his weight up on his elbow to get a clear view of Reid’s face when he answered. He figured out the rest but wanted to understand why the kiss had been allowed. If Reid thought it would have bothered him, a single word would have ended it. Nothing, the genius was staring at him. The panic began in the eyes, “Did you want me to kiss you?”

 

“Yes,” Spencer admitted it. It was done and he didn’t want to continue being dishonest. He had wanted to be kissed, he still wanted it, and he couldn’t resist looking at the lips that were too close to be professional. 

 

“Good, then I don’t have to apologize.” Aaron was glad he didn’t need to feel guilty about his recent thoughts. Or about what he was going to do next. He leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss on the corner of the slightly parted lips. It wasn’t the right time to be exploring or testing boundaries. It should wait until they returned home. There was no one in the room to witness what happened between them. The door was locked and they shouldn’t be disturbed. After eight weeks of recalling the kiss, determined to find it again, he didn’t want to wait until they were back. “You have five seconds to tell me no.”

 

Was it acceptable for him to say yes? Spencer wasn’t sure so he simply remained silent, praying that Hotch wouldn’t stop. The kiss ghosted his mouth, hesitant for a moment, and he couldn’t help but sigh at the pressure. The noise must have been taken for consent. The mouth opened over his own, the kiss deepening before he could adjust to the fact that they were about to start making out in the middle of a case. 

 

The reason Aaron had sought the person was reaffirmed when the tongue clashed with his own. The taste and texture, the eager way the kiss was returned had his breath catching. The tremor of excitement struck hard, like a sledgehammer to the groin. Aaron captured the back of his nape, pulling the doctor close as he rolled over to climb on top of the other man. They were separated for a moment and he had to get those lips again. Soft and sweet, stirring the passion that had been left unsatisfied since that night. 

 

Spencer felt like he was dreaming, he was underneath the man once more, but this time Hotch knew who he was kissing. The man was taking possession of his mouth. He brought his hands up to fist the cotton, needing something to hold onto. Just a simple kiss had his body vibrating and aching to be touched. “Wait, what was that?!”

 

“What?” Aaron broke the kiss hearing the faint noise coming from somewhere else in the building. A door creaked down the hall not far from the one they were using for the night. “The others were told which room we are using.”

 

“Right,” Spencer scrambled out from underneath the covers and reached for his belongings. Hotch already had his piece aimed at the door by the time he found his own and was standing. Rossi and JJ wouldn’t have any need to search the abandoned building and the sheriff had been the one to select the room for their use. The floorboards creaked in the hallway, someone was searching the place. 

 

“Stay close,” the noise halted outside of their door. Aaron reached for the knob after moments passed and it wasn’t opened. Had the person realized that they were awake and aware? He heard the click before the first shot came through the wood, forcing him to take cover, and move away from the entrance. His back hit the wall as more shots tore through the wood and prevented him from opening the door. 

 

“There is more than one,” Spencer winced at the sting in his side but held his position against the wall. The assailant wasn’t aiming anywhere except at the door. Raised voices were shouting but he couldn’t make out what was being said over the gunfire. His ears picked up a single word, ‘Hero’ past the ringing. 

 

A few seconds passed without a shot being fired. Aaron moved quickly, yanking the door open ready to fire into the hallway and at anyone still foolish enough to be standing there. There was no one, he stepped out to clear the hall. A loud thud came from further away and more gunshots from outside. “Stay here.”

 

“Go,” Spencer wasn’t going to balk at the command. Hotch left him standing just inside the room and raced away. From the shots being fired, Rossi and JJ had realized that something was going on, and not that he had been about to make a huge mistake with the boss. He winced, taking a deep breath made the skin move and pull at the fresh wound. Shit, he was still slower to react than the others on the team, except Penelope. He had moved in time to keep from getting shot directly in the gut. Lifting the t-shirt up, he cringed feeling the wetness slowly easing out of the new hole. 

 

The position wasn’t near anything vital but there wasn’t an exit wound and from the extra pain he was positive that it was still lodged inside. Going through the old wood had slowed the projectile. What were the chances that it had carried some wood with it? He hobbled over to his discarded clothes to find the sweater he had tossed aside before climbing into bed. It was the only thing close to use to apply pressure to the seeping wound. The gunfire had ended outside but it would be a few moments before the others came back. Maybe more if they hadn’t caught whoever it had been. He wiped his right hand off on the sweater in order to have a good grip on the gun. The other kept pressure on the wound and he exited the room. Calling an ambulance would take too long and he would need someone to drive him to the hospital. The bleeding wasn’t slowing down. 

 

Nothing was there to leap out at him as he made it through the building and out of the open door to the outside. The night air wrapped around him, making him shiver at the low temperature. The vehicle was still running but no one was inside it. The only person he could see was JJ, she was walking back with her weapon still in hand. Where was Hotch? He managed to make it over to the car and lean against the door. The feeling in his hand was almost gone, possibly from the loss of blood and the cold. 

 

“They had a vehicle waiting on them,” JJ wanted to punch something. The other two would be returning in a few. Rossi had woken her shouting that he heard shots being fired from inside. She had exited the car to find him firing at two people that had ran out of the building in a panic. The chase had led them behind the abandoned streets and into the woods. Which meant a third party had been waiting for them in the car because both had jumped into the backseat before it had sped off. She holstered her gun and reached for her phone which was still inside and on the backseat. It would need to be called in, “Rossi thinks he may have managed to hit one of them. If we are lucky he did and one of them will need to seek medical attention.”

 

Great, then they might be able to get one of them. Spencer took a deep breath, the back door was opened up beside him. JJ didn’t look happy and two figures were coming down the street in the direction she had just come from. That had to be Hotch and Rossi, returning without anyone in custody. “Then that makes two of us.”

 

“Spence?” JJ looked around the door at the announcement. Who else needed medical attention? Hotch said they were fine when she had hastily asked if they were okay. The doctor was holding something to his side and was visibly shaking. “Shit, why didn’t you say something immediately?”

 

“I just did,” his teeth were chattering from the cold. Hands were grabbing his arms and directing him into the already open door. Without care for his comfort she pushed him inside and helped him get his legs inside. The door slammed shut and the blonde head could be seen running around the front, the driver side door opened and his ears split. The horn echoed as she laid on it without removing her hand. She could have just yelled for them, now he’d have a migraine to go with the throbbing abdomen. 

 

JJ left the door open seeing that they got the message that something was wrong and would be here in a few. She climbed into the backseat and turned on the overhead light. The beige sweater was soaked through with blood and Reid looked ready to pass out. The front passenger door opened and Hotch looked inside. “He was hit.”

 

“Shit,” Dave climbed into the driver’s seat without being told. The vehicle was put in gear before the passenger door was closed. It was a good twenty minute drive to the nearest town. 

 

“How bad is it?” Aaron got on his knees to turn in the seat. Why hadn’t Reid said anything? Why had he assumed that they were both okay? He had looked over to make sure that they had both gotten to cover after the first shot. Seeing the slender male pressed against the wall had confirmed that they had both moved in time. 

 

“It didn’t exit and he’s still bleeding,” JJ reached in the back to retrieve another shirt. A hiss escaped from them both as she pressed it against the torn flesh. He had barely been holding it and it needed steady pressure to slow the bleeding. “Sorry.”

 

Spencer barely got a nod off to reassure her that it was fine. The ringing was growing louder and keeping his eyes open was near impossible with each bump in the road. He could make out the sound of the blonde’s voice but not what was being said. Through the rapid blinking he tried to tell her that he was fine seeing the worried expression on the lovely features. It wasn’t as bad as it looked and he just needed to rest his eyes for a few. Rough fingers were touching the side of his face.

 

“Rossi, drive faster.” Aaron tried to get him to open his eyes. Reid had begun sweating, the skin beneath his fingers felt cold, and clammy. The haggard breathing wasn’t a good sign, “he’s going into shock.”

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The overwhelming scent of alcohol reminded Penelope of the many reasons she disliked hospitals. She hated it even more when it was the young agent lying in the bed. After being shot in the neck, she had hoped he had gotten over his affinity of attracting stray bullets. The soft moan drew her attention to the heavily sedated patient that was unaware of how close he had come to leaving her. He really had to stop doing this, her heart couldn’t take it. 

 

“How’s he doing?” Dave knocked lightly after the head whipped around. A bit too late to announce his presence, but it was cute and funny to see how the woman tried to pretend that she hadn’t just come close to jumping out of the chair. The others were still out in the field following up on a lead. 

 

“About the same,” she retrieved the hand she had dropped. The doctor said he would pull through but she’d feel so much better once he woke up. The wound itself hadn’t been life-threatening but he had lost a lot of blood. 

 

“He’ll make it,” he took the chair opposite and his arms on the flimsy mattress. Aaron had assured him that there was nothing going on between the two. It was hard to believe it with the way she was desperately clinging to the still fingers. There was something between the two and it didn’t take a profiler to figure it out. 

 

“What did you find?” Penelope directed the conversation to the case, not wanting to discuss her fears. They had to believe that Reid would pull through without any complications. She wanted to know what they were doing to find the ones that had done this. The assholes had tried to ambush her team. 

 

Dave ran a hand through his hair, they hadn’t found much. “The house was empty and has been for a long time. Thomas Wright, aka Hero, has been in the wind for over six months. Don’t apologize, we wouldn’t have that much if it wasn’t for you and you did what you could. Hotch and JJ are going through the house to see what they can find. We are pretty sure that this is our alpha personality and also the one that was driving that night.”

 

“How can you be sure?” The name Hotch had heard when the two had been screaming for the driver to take off had been enough to give them something. The old sheriff had known the name immediately and had told them what he knew. A disturbed teenager that had once lived in the community and had left town after his entire family had died in a fire. The retired sheriff told Hotch that he always had the gut feeling that the boy was responsible but he hadn’t been able to prove it. The community hadn’t liked him hanging around and had wanted to grieve the loss of one of their families in peace so he had let it drop. From what she could find this Thomas had been in and out of jail for petty crimes since then. 

 

“Classic dominant personality, anger issues, and we also found my bullet in his garage. They made a pit stop on the way out of town to take the time to remove it.” Dave hoped the unsub he had shot bled to death. That would give them a corpse to investigate and another name. They needed something to link all three unsubs together. “He is part of this and he owns a beat up Chevy pickup truck.”

 

“What now?” She fidgeted under the intense stare. Why did she feel like she was being profiled? Why was he looking at her hand? Or was the confused expression due to whatever was on the Italian’s mind?

 

“Well, they know that we are onto them so we may have lost our chance at catching them for now. Since they realized we are here, they will most likely find a new dump site. They won’t make the mistake of coming back while we are here. Hotch also believes that one of the unsubs is close to the investigation somehow. Which makes the case more difficult because of the situation. He doesn’t think it is someone still active in the community but somehow they knew we were here. It could be a coincidence. The problem is they will most likely move on and we won’t be able to do anything until there are more victims.”

 

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, please tell me what you think. Yes! I shot Reid!


	7. Injured and Dead

A/N: A small update, because I promised it would be up by friday. I had another section I was working on but it was not done in time. So sorry, my one day off turned into overtime this week. Hope you enjoy. 

 

Warnings: None really!

 

Chapter Seven

 

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The click of the door announced the next visitor. Penelope lifted her gaze fully expecting it to be JJ returning with something else for her to eat. Her protests that she wasn’t the one that needed to be taken care of fell on deaf ears. It was annoying when the blonde profiler jumped on her case about her eating habits. Yet, she had blushed and stammered when lunch had been brought by the oldest profiler. She had readily accepted the meal he had purchased just for her with a smile and they had spoken for an hour until Hotch had arrived. Both men had left six hours ago when a call had come in, reports of a body being found along the highway. Over two days had slowly drug along while she waited patiently for the sleeping beauty nearby to wake up. The doctors assured them that he was most likely still sleeping due to the drugs in his system. 

 

“How’s he doing?” Aaron closed the door softly. On the elevator ride up, the doctor had spoken with him briefly about Reid’s condition. They had him sedated, which was the cause for the silence. There was no sign of infection and the surgery had gone well, and there weren’t any complications from the wound. In a few days, they should know when he would be released. 

 

“Still sleeping like a baby,” she tried to smile but it faltered. Sitting here worrying was getting her nowhere and she knew that look. She was about to be lectured on letting her own health go, “What happened with the call?”

 

“I’ll tell you but then you’ll have to promise to head back to the hotel to get some rest. Dave will be up in a few to gather you. No protests, I will stay with him tonight.” He wanted to remain. The doctor was only allowing one person to stay during the night and the last two he hadn’t had the heart to order the pregnant woman to leave. When he had offered, she had told him that she wasn’t leaving Spencer. The others had been in the room at the time so he couldn’t exactly push the issue or they would want to know why. Several doctors had given them hopeful news and he didn’t want to cause a scene if there was no need. “The body hasn’t been identified yet but we are positive it is the unsub from the other night. He died from a gunshot wound to the temple. The ME said he would have died within hours without immediate medical attention, if he hadn’t been executed. When they removed the bullet a piece of it fragmented and was still inside which caused an infection.”

 

“So to keep from being caught and from having him slow them down, they executed him.” Penelope almost felt sorry for the unsub, almost. His pack had turned on him when he had become a liability. He may have lived if they had gotten him medical attention, but being able to continue killing was more important. There was a good chance that this unsub had also been the one to shoot her friend. “How long before they get a name?”

 

“Could be a few hours or a few days. We are on standby until then,” Aaron took a seat on the rolling stool normally reserved for the doctor. She was occupying the only other stool and he had a feeling that she wasn’t going to vacate until Dave came in to pry her behind off of it. Which made him question why Reid had allowed the kiss to happen, yet again. The hacker was clinging to the hand like it was a life-line and was showing the devotion one would give a lover. It was possible that the two had hooked up at some point, despite what had happened between them. “Don’t worry about it, I’ll be with him all night. He’ll be okay, I promise.”

 

“I know, I’ll just feel better once he wakes up.” She knew she should get some rest and a shower. A nap here and there wasn’t good. Hotch would keep an eye on him. It stung to remind herself that if the patient had to pick, she would be told to leave. Spencer would rather have Hotch staying with him and she got it. She would leave him in the boss’ capable hands. “Just call me the moment he wakes up no matter the time.”

 

“I will,” if it got her out of the room, he’d make that promise. Aaron nodded hearing the door open once more to allow a cranky Dave inside. On the drive back he had been forced to listen to a rather disturbing and personal phone call. The other man had pleaded that it wasn’t the time to discuss things but the female on the other end of the phone had insisted on having it out without delay. From that call alone he now knew that Dave wasn’t happy with his sex life and Hayden wasn’t happy with his working all the time. The word retirement had been said in complete disgust three times. Some shrieking had made his own eardrums ring and the only reason the Italian wasn’t deaf was because he had shared the displeasure by holding the phone away from his ear. “Everything okay?”

 

“Peachy,” just fucking peachy. Dave didn’t want to talk about it. He loved his woman but at times he couldn’t help but recall why it hadn’t killed him to walk away the first time. As more time passed, the more they fought, and the more demanding she was becoming. He wouldn’t leave his team, not yet. Retirement wasn’t for a few more years and it wasn’t an issue of money. For him it was about doing what he loved and she claimed to understand that. He just hated it that she would complain about being unhappy about how little time he was home but when he was home, they would argue or ignore each other. By the time she calmed to work through it and spend quality time with him, another case would come up. His argument that she should try to enjoy any and all the time he did get off, she brought up that she shouldn’t have to wait around for him because she was clearly not that important to him. “Ready, hun?”

 

“Sure,” sure, she was ready to go. What was with the look between the two? Was it a guy thing? What was Hotch asking about? It couldn’t be about Spencer or the case. She didn’t want to know, it was between them. “I’m going but you have to promise to have me back in the morning, bright and early.”

 

“I’ll have you back after you’ve gotten some sleep and after a decent breakfast, my treat.” Dave ushered her to get a move on it with the use of a hand. He wanted to take something for his headache and maybe get something stronger than coffee to drink. Reid was in good hands for tonight and the hacker looked as worn out as he felt. 

 

“Deal,” she grabbed her bag from the nearby chair. A brief ride alone with Rossi, it was all she was going to get, she may as well enjoy it while she could. Perhaps she could get him to open up about his relationship, she had to know her odds. A little pry would tell her how the happy couple was really doing. 

 

“Dave, make sure she gets plenty of rest. Call before you bring her back up, I don’t mind hanging around tomorrow.” Aaron didn’t mind eating from the cafeteria or being the one to sit with Reid. 

 

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Tap, tap, tap, tap. It was getting on his last nerve. Twin lights flashed through the bare curtains, another car had just pulled into the parking lot. They would see every damn vehicle that approached this way. Thomas fidgeted in the soiled chair, the dank smell in the room was getting to him as well. From the stained sheets, the smashed chips on the floor, the trash in the can, these rooms didn’t get cleaned that often. What did they expect for only twenty bucks a night? The damn clerk hadn’t even asked for identification. He had walked in and paid for a key, that was all. He had scribbled a fake name on the registration, the old man barely looking up from his nuked dinner. “What are we going to do, Judas?” 

 

“What needs to be done,” Judas let his gaze land softly on the fretting blonde. His pretty, little second that wouldn’t know what to do if given instructions. He knew exactly what he needed to do. “You are distraught.”

 

“Of course, did we really have to do it?” It didn’t matter if their third had accepted that it needed to be done. Chris had pleaded with them to do it. They shouldn’t have, they could have gotten him help. 

 

“Yes, he knew it and accepted it, why can’t you? There would have been no saving him, he died with dignity.” Judas clicked on the locked file, he was almost there. There was much to be done before he could continue his work. “We tried. He knew that if we took him to get medical assistance the authorities would be alerted. There are cameras, we would have been identified. Instead of risking impeding our work, he made sure they couldn’t use him against us. He deserves our gratitude.”

 

“I know,” it just hurt. Chris had been the last to join them and he had become attached to him. He’d been their third, their friend, one of them. It was like having their arms cut off. How could they replace him? He hadn’t been able to do it when his lover had pleaded with him. Judas had done it. “How much longer are we staying here?”

 

“Not much longer,” he would be leaving very shortly. Judas saved the pictures that appeared on the screen. One had to know their enemy, and he preferred to know his. This was the team hunting them, a sinful bunch. One had even taken to being married several times, that one needed to be cleansed greatly. Three whores for him to burn. A pathetic excuse for a man that didn’t know how to protect his own and led the ones that followed. There were others as well, plenty for him to choose from. 

 

He saved several pictures, enlarging them, and then placing them into their own file. This one he was greatly interested in. There was no spouse, the history showed no female or male ever having shared the same space. A doctor that had several degrees, someone just as intelligent as himself. This one was different, very special. What else would he find on the agent? Another picture was saved, what else was there? He expanded his search to see what background information he could find. 

 

The doctor had been emitted into the hospital for a gunshot wound almost a week ago. The report was sketchy and half-assed, but he knew when he had been wounded. That meant he had been one of the agents inside the room that night. Pity, they had almost killed him. That would have been disappointing. Luckily, Spencer Reid was expected to make a full recovery and was being discharged in the morning. That was most fortunate. With a wound like that he wouldn’t be able to return to duty any time soon. It would be a few weeks. That mean he would have to take care of any loose ends here in order to move on. 

 

He glanced over the information that the fat hacker had pulled up. Chris’s body had been recovered, and Thomas’s identity had been blown. He knew what he had to do, it was disappointing because both men had been easy to control. It was time to cut his losses and continue his work. However, the blonde wouldn’t offer to forfeit his life for the cause. “Thomas, it is time.”

 

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A/N: Please comment, even if it was a small chapter. I will try to work on this more soon. Everything depends on my muse and he is a picky little bitch.


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